Readers of this space know that while professional apartment management must ensure we follow our federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) and its seven protected classes (race, national origin, color, religion, sex, familial status and disability), we must also make certain we know the state, county, city, and/or local laws applicable in the various jurisdictions in which we have apartment communities. These seven federal protected classes can be (and are) supplemented by laws encompassing, for example, source of income, sexual orientation, marital status, and/or age (to name a few).
On a related note, it was just announced that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is planning to use an executive order to protect transgender people from discrimination in housing and employment. It has been reported that Governor Cuomo is going to make the announcement at an Empire State Pride Agenda dinner in New York.
Although efforts to change New York state law through legislation on this point have been repeatedly blocked by the Republican controlled state Senate, Governor Cuomo is going to act on his own.
This action is just another cautionary tale to ensure we keep with the laws in the jurisdictions where we operate. If you don't know your state and/or local laws, you might want to reach out to a lawyer like me.
Just A Thought.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
