The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights enforces Maryland's anti-discrimination laws prohibiting housing discrimination. Housing discrimination laws make it illegal to:
- Refuse to rent a dwelling to any qualified buyer or renter;
- Use discriminatory terms and conditions in selling or renting;
- Set terms and conditions of home loans in such a way as to discriminate;
- Use discriminatory notices or advertisements indicating a preference or discriminatory limitations;
- Say that a dwelling is not available for inspection, sale, or rent when, in fact, it is available;
- Attempt to steer persons into or away from neighborhoods or apartment complexes due to being members of a protected class;
- Treat a person differently from everyone else because of race, color, disability, familial status (parent or legal custodian with children, pregnant), religion, sex, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or source of income;
- Request information about birth control and/or family planning practices;
- Refuse to consider both applicants' incomes when seeking to buy or rent;
- Commit acts of prejudice, violence, harassment, intimidation, or abuse directed against families or individuals or their residential property.
If you have a disability, you are protected under the law. It is against the law to:
- Refuse to permit, or at the expense of the renter, reasonable house modifications that are necessary for the daily life of a person with a mental or physical disability;
- Refuse to reasonably accommodate or adjust rules, policies, services or practices that hamper the use of an apartment, condominium, or house by a person with a physical or mental disability;
- Have multi-family housing that is not accessible to people with disabilities. Multi-family housing is required to have accessible units and access routes (wide doors and hallways), accessible public and common areas, and management must provide for effective communication as needed by a disabled person.
If you have been denied your housing rights, or have experienced any of the above actions, contact our agency immediately to initiate an inquiry, so that we can assist you in determining if you have been a victim of housing discrimination.
Find out how to initiate an inquiry with MCCR.
