The National Fair Housing Alliance published “COVID-19, Illegal Housing Discrimination, and Protections for People with Disabilities and Those Who Care for Them under the Fair Housing Act” on April 9. The guide explores housing discrimination protections for people who have been diagnosed with coronavirus, are perceived as having the virus, and caretakers of individuals affected by the virus. The guide notes that people diagnosed with COVID-19 may be considered “disabled” under long-standing interpretations of the Fair Housing Act and other civil rights laws.
The guide states that requiring homeowners, applicants, or tenants to disclose whether they have medical conditions that make them particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 would be a violation of the Fair Housing Act. The guide clarifies that housing providers who apply practices to prevent the spread of the virus recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would not be in violation of fair housing laws if the practices are applied to everyone. The guide also states that people with COVID-19 should be provided with reasonable accommodations so they can continue accessing housing. For example, someone living in a congregate setting who is diagnosed with the virus should be able to access an individual room so they can self-quarantine until they recover.
View the guide at: https://bit.ly/3cggSfi