A landlord in Erie, Pennsylvania, uses a third-party tenant screening service that assigns risk scores partly based on applicants' zip codes. An analysis reveals that applicants from predominantly Black neighborhoods receive lower scores. Under the PA Human Relations Act, the landlord:
Correct Answer
C) May be liable for disparate impact discrimination even though the landlord did not personally design the screening criteria
Under the PA Human Relations Act and federal fair housing law, landlords are responsible for the screening tools they use. If a third-party screening service produces racially disparate results, the landlord may be liable under the disparate impact theory, even without discriminatory intent.
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Related Topics & Key Terms
Key Terms:
Related Concepts
License requirements are the mandatory qualifications—including pre-licensing education, examination, and background checks—that a person must satisfy before legally practicing real estate. These requirements are established and enforced by each state's real estate commission.
Market allocation is an illegal antitrust practice in which competing real estate brokerages agree to divide markets among themselves by geographic area, property type, or price range, thereby eliminating competition.
Price fixing is an illegal antitrust practice in which competing real estate brokerages agree to charge the same commission rates, fees, or other pricing for their services. It is a per se violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
More Pa Fair Housing Human Relations Act Questions
A real estate agent in Pennsylvania is found by the PHRC to have engaged in steering based on race. In addition to PHRC remedies, the SREC considers disciplinary action. Under RELA, fair housing violations may result in which of the following SREC sanctions?
A landlord in Pennsylvania owns a duplex and lives in one unit. The landlord refuses to rent the other unit to a family because of their race. The landlord did not use a real estate agent or discriminatory advertising. Under fair housing law, is this landlord's action lawful?
Under the federal Fair Housing Act as applied in Pennsylvania, all of the following constitute prohibited discriminatory advertising EXCEPT:
A private, non-commercial religious organization in Pennsylvania owns a residential building and limits occupancy to members of its faith. The organization does not use a real estate broker and does not discriminate based on race. Under the PA Human Relations Act, is this practice lawful?
A landlord in Pennsylvania tells an applicant of Italian ancestry, 'We prefer tenants who are more American.' The applicant is denied the rental. Under the PA Human Relations Act, the landlord has violated protections based on which protected class?
- → A tenant in Pennsylvania wants to file a fair housing complaint but is unsure whether to file with the PHRC or pursue a private lawsuit. A key difference between the two approaches is:
- → A tenant in Pennsylvania files a housing discrimination complaint with both the PHRC and HUD simultaneously. Under the work-sharing agreement between these agencies, what typically happens?
- → Under the PA Human Relations Act, a person who has been the victim of housing discrimination may seek damages through which avenue(s)?
- → Under the PA Human Relations Act, the PHRC has jurisdiction over housing discrimination complaints filed in Pennsylvania. What is the PHRC's geographic jurisdiction?
- → Under the PA Human Relations Act, what role do local human relations commissions play in fair housing enforcement in Pennsylvania?
- → A person in Pennsylvania who has experienced housing discrimination but missed the 180-day PHRC filing deadline has which remaining option?
- → Under the PA Human Relations Act, the PHRC is designated as a 'substantially equivalent' agency by HUD. What does this designation mean?
- → Under the PA Human Relations Act, a real estate licensee who receives fair housing continuing education learns about 'testing.' What is fair housing testing?
- → If the PHRC and a respondent in a housing discrimination case reach a successful conciliation agreement, the agreement typically includes:
- → Under the PA Human Relations Act, the PHRC is composed of commissioners appointed by which official?
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A real estate licensee in Pennsylvania is found to have engaged in fair housing violations. In addition to PHRC penalties, the PA State Real Estate Commission may:
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A landlord in Scranton, Pennsylvania, consistently offers shorter lease terms (6 months instead of 12 months) to families with children while offering 12-month leases to tenants without children. Under the PA Human Relations Act, this practice:
