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Practice Of Real EstateFair_housingHARD

A Vermont landlord owns a four-unit apartment building and lives in one of the units. He refuses to rent the remaining unit to a recently divorced woman, stating he prefers tenants with 'stable family situations.' The woman files a complaint under Vermont's fair housing law. Which of the following statements best describes the legal outcome?

Correct Answer

D) The landlord has violated Vermont's fair housing law by discriminating based on marital status.

Under 9 V.S.A. Chapter 139, marital status is a protected class in Vermont. Refusing to rent to a recently divorced woman because of her divorced status constitutes discrimination based on marital status. Vermont's fair housing law applies broadly to housing transactions, and the landlord's stated preference for 'stable family situations' is a pretext for marital status discrimination. Unlike the federal Fair Housing Act's exemption for owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units (the 'Mrs. Murphy' exemption), Vermont's fair housing law does not contain an equivalent blanket exemption for small owner-occupied properties.

Answer Options
A
The landlord is exempt because Vermont's fair housing law only applies to properties with five or more units.
B
The landlord has not violated fair housing law because 'stable family situation' is not a protected class.
C
The landlord is exempt because owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units are exempt from Vermont's fair housing law.
D
The landlord has violated Vermont's fair housing law by discriminating based on marital status.

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Related Topics & Key Terms

Key Terms:

fair_housingstate_protected_classesmarital_statusexemptionsowner_occupied

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