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Practice Of Real EstateFair_housingMEDIUM

A New Orleans landlord owns a four-unit residential building and lives in one of the units. He refuses to rent one of the remaining units to a prospective tenant because the tenant is a single mother with two children. The landlord claims he is exempt from fair housing laws as a small landlord. Under Louisiana's Equal Housing Opportunity Act, which of the following is most accurate?

Correct Answer

B) The landlord is exempt from the federal Fair Housing Act under the Mrs. Murphy exemption but remains subject to Louisiana's Equal Housing Opportunity Act.

Under the federal Fair Housing Act, the 'Mrs. Murphy exemption' applies to owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units, exempting them from certain provisions. However, Louisiana's Equal Housing Opportunity Act (La. R.S. 51:2601 et seq.) does not contain an equivalent small-landlord exemption of the same scope. Louisiana's state law applies more broadly, and the landlord's refusal to rent based on familial status (single mother with children) violates the state act even if he might claim a federal exemption. Candidates must recognize that state law can be more protective than federal law.

Answer Options
A
The landlord is fully exempt because owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units are exempt from all fair housing laws.
B
The landlord is exempt from the federal Fair Housing Act under the Mrs. Murphy exemption but remains subject to Louisiana's Equal Housing Opportunity Act.
C
The landlord is fully exempt from both federal and Louisiana fair housing laws because he lives on the premises.
D
The landlord is exempt only if he did not use a real estate agent and did not advertise using discriminatory language.

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Related Topics & Key Terms

Key Terms:

mrs_murphy_exemptionfamilial_statusstate_vs_federalsmall_landlordowner_occupied

Related Concepts

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