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Denying housing over criminal record may be discrimination, Feds say

It may be getting easier for people with criminal records to find housing.

In new guidance, the Department of Housing and Urban Development tells landlords that turning down tenants or buyers based on their criminal records may violate the Fair Housing Act.

People with criminal records aren't a protected class under the Fair Housing Act, and the guidance from HUD's general counsel says that in some cases, turning down an individual tenant because of his or her record can be legally justified.

But blanket policies of refusing to rent to anybody with a criminal record are de facto discrimination, the department says ? because of the systemic disparities of the American criminal justice system.

Read the NPR report here.

Full post as published by the 13th juror on April 04, 2016 (boomark / email).