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John, a Black man, discusses leasing an apartment with a potential landlord over the phone. During the call, the landlord appears keen on renting to John. However, when they meet in person to complete an application, the landlord’s demeanor changes significantly. A few days later, John gets a letter stating that his application was declined due to a negative reference from his current landlord. John is taken aback because he’s never had issues with his landlord, who confirms she wasn’t contacted for a reference. John suspects the denial was actually due to his race, prompting him to file a complaint with HUD. An investigation by HUD reveals that John is correct—there is a pattern of racial discrimination in the landlord’s files.

Jane is a Muslim woman who wears a hijab She enters the leasing office of a large apartment complex, having noticed a sign in the window that advertises several available apartments. Jane greets the leasing officer, who promptly informs her that there are no available units. She requests to be added to the waiting list but never receives a follow-up call. Suspicious that the leasing officer’s unwillingness to rent to her is due to her Muslim faith, Jane files a complaint with HUD. Upon investigation, HUD discovers that Jane’s suspicion is justified, as other building employees provide information that confirms her claim of religious discrimination.

John, an Asian man, arranges a meeting with a real estate agent to talk about buying a house for his family. When John mentions the neighborhood, he is interested in, the agent questions whether he thinks his family would feel ease there. She suggests a different neighborhood, claiming she has a great listing there, with more people “like them.” During the visit to this house, John observes that the majority of the neighborhood’s residents seem to be Asian. He decides to file a complaint with HUD, as directing someone to a particular neighborhood due to their race constitutes racial discrimination.

Learn more about harassmenthere.

Jane holds a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) but falls behind on her share of the rent one month. When she asks her landlord for a few more days to pay, he but insists on going out with her in return. Feeling she has no choice, Jane reluctantly agrees. In the following days, Jane receives sexually explicit messages from her landlord, despite telling him to stop. He threatens to evict her and make her lose her voucher if she refuses to date him again. Jane lodges a complaint with HUD, as sexual harassment constitutes sex discrimination.

Learn more about accessibilityhere.

John, who uses a wheelchair due to his disability, visits a condo he’s interested in purchasing within a newly constructed multistory building. Upon arriving, John notices that the parking area lacks spaces designed for accessibility. As he attempts to enter the condo, he struggles because his wheelchair barely fits through the doorway, causing him to bump his arms. Inside, he finds the thermostat and light switches are mounted too high for him to reach comfortably. Although the building features a fitness room, John cannot access it because there is only a staircase leading to it. Consequently, John files a complaint with HUD, as the building’s failure to meet accessibility standards constitutes disability discrimination.

Learn more about reasonable accommodationhere.

Jane faces challenges with managing her finances due to a developmental disability. She informs her building manager that, because of this, her mother will handle her payments, and she requests that any rent-related notices be sent to her mother. The building manager explains that the management company has a strict policy where notices are only sent to tenants, without any exceptions. A few months later, Jane receives an eviction notice because her mother was unaware of an increase in Jane’s rent. Jane decides to file a complaint with HUD, as refusing this reasonable accommodation can be considered a form of discrimination against disabilities.

Learn more about familial status discriminationhere.

John has three teenagers. There’s a patio with picnic tables at his apartment complex, and one day, his kids decide to have lunch there with some friends. The following day, John is notified by the homeowner’s association that according to the building’s regulations, the patio is strictly for adults, and he must ensure his kids don’t break these rules. John then files a complaint with HUD since rules that exclude children are considered discrimination based on familial status.

Learn more about lending discriminationhere.

Jane and John are in the middle of completing a mortgage application at their neighborhood bank. The loan officer notices that is obviously pregnant and inquires if she plans to take maternity leave. Upon hearing Jane’s confirmation, the officer informs them that they must either proceed without considering Jane’s income or delay their application until her return to work. “I apologize,” the loan officer says, “but I’ve witnessed too many women decide not to resume working.” Jane and John decide to file a complaint with HUD due to the bank’s policy, which discriminates based on sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation) and familial status.

John recently relocated from Mexico to the United States. One day, he notices a new resident in the apartment next door and decides to welcome her to the building. The new neighbor remarks how friendly everyone in the complex appears, particularly noting that the building manager offered to forgo her security deposit because she seems nice. This surprises John since the building manager had been curt with him and mentioned John’s accent made communication difficult. Curious John inquires with and discovers that the building manager waived fees for tenants he favors, but not him or other individuals from Mexico. Consequently, John files a complaint with HUD because it’s illegal discrimination to offer different rental terms based on national origin.