Today is Memorial Day, a federal holiday when we remember the sacrifice of servicemembers who died protecting the United States. As some are surprised to learn, federal law doesn't protect servicemembers when it comes to housing discrimination.
A number of states and cities have enacted human rights laws to cover this gap in recent years. For example, Washington protects tenants and prospective tenants against discrimination based on "honorably discharged veteran or military status." Illinois, Cook County, and Chicago all go a step further and include military discharge status as a protected class.
Is it time for the Fair Housing Act to be amended to protect against discrimination based on military status? If so, would you be in favor of limiting the coverage only to current servicemembers and those who have been honorably discharged? Or is it best to leave these decisions up to individual states and municipalities?
What do you think?
2 comments:
It is good be secured, but it isn't military days and we don't need that.
I am currently the wife of an active duty soldier in California. We're headed to Texas on PCS orders, and more than one landlord has flat out refused to rent to us because we know in 7 mos he will be going to Iraq and won't be able to fulfill a full one year lease!! This is ridiculous!! How is the SCRA at all effective if it only prevents landlords from renting to us at all??
Post a Comment