Fair Housing Law

[bzdmk]

Thank you

Thank you all for your advices and point-of-views.

Unfortunately, some ppl choose to be judgmental instead of help.

I did some homework on the property and there were indeed problems with loud tenants and college kids.
Apparently all-night college parties and kids running up and down the hallways are a big problem in that community.

Mental note: When it's too good to be truth... maybe it is...

I'm glad he raised a flag by not responding to my question or else I would never had researched about the property and would probably be miserable paying a lot of rent.

Thank you all once again.

 

[TigerD]

Please point out what law gives a tenant "the right" to know if his/her neighbors have children.

Gail

The law doesn't grant rights - it restricts them. Please point out the law the denies the prospective tenant the right to know if his neighbors have children.

DC

 

[Cvillecpm]

You can sit outside the apts at 3:30P and see the kids come home from school.

Advising applicants regarding current residents is something the manager has been trained NOT to answer since his answer could be considered steering under fair housing laws. I suspect someone recently took a fair housing seminar and got this direction.

Good answer and it is unfortunate that you failed to understand the reason behind his response.

 

[eridon2002]

You have a right to know who is living by you but he has a right not to answer. He might or might not be hiding something. Could be that he is just being overly cautious not to overstep any fair housing laws. You must do your own research to determine if the neighborhood is for you. You should be doing this regardless of whether the LL answers your questions(especially since this is such a subjective determination). Afterall the LL could out right lie or stretch the truth.

 

[DeenaCA]

My question now is, don't I have the rights to know who my neighbors will be? I didn't ask about gender, race or religion, I just want to know if there are kids around there cause then i'll know what to expect.

Familial status (families with children) is a protected class on the same footing with race, religion, gender, etc. There's no difference. See US CODE: Title 42,3604. Discrimination in the sale or rental of housing and other prohibited practices.

The only tenants who can be assured of child-free housing are those residing in "housing for older persons" as defined at 42 US Code 3607 (US CODE: Title 42,3607. Religious organization or private club exemption). There is no "child-limited" housing. Landlords/managers cannot legally limit the number of units occupied by families, restrict families to certain floors/buildings, or impose any other restrictions due to the presence of children.

The manager may have suspected that you were a "tester" working for a fair housing organization. Any statement indicating a discriminatory preference ("Very quiet here! Not a lot of kids!") could have subjected the housing providers to fines and penalties in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Furthermore, even if there WERE very few children living in the development, that picture could change any time there's a vacancy. If your goal is finding quiet housing and you perceive an absence of children as conducive to that goal, apartment or multi-family living may not be your best option.

 

[Baranov]

Along the same lines, you may get a direct answer to your question if you ask SFH owners or other exempt landlords.

 

[Gail in Georgia]

There is no law that states an applicant has the "right" to know if the neighbors have children just as there is no law that denies an applicant the "right" to know this information.

The OP asked if they had a "right" to know who they will be living next to. Since this is a legal forum, the assumption becomes whether they have a legal right to this information; i.e., if the question is asked to management must management answer this.

The answer is "no".

Gail

 

[Cvillecpm]

.....asking about "children/kids" is a RED FLAG for someone who is a sex offender and has a probation condition that they have to STAY AWAY from children.....

 

[You Are Guilty]

The law doesn't grant rights - it restricts them. Please point out the law the denies the prospective tenant the right to know if his neighbors have children.

DC

In that case, please point out the law that denies me the right to know whether you like to hot oil wrestle baby goats.

DeenaCA quite aptly covered the law here, and provided a very likely explanation for the answer given to the OP. Whenever dealing with questions regarding protected classes, particularly in this day and age, it always pays to err on the side of caution.

 

[Zigner]

In that case, please point out the law that denies me the right to know whether you like to hot oil wrestle baby goats.

No - what you need to be asking is for is the law that RESTRICTS the other person's RIGHT to refuse to tell you.

 

[You Are Guilty]

No - what you need to be asking is for is the law that RESTRICTS the other person's RIGHT to refuse to tell you.

You're arguing with the wrong person. Reread my post - I'm on your side

 

[Zigner]

You're arguing with the wrong person. Reread my post - I'm on your side

Gotcha

(My eyes hurt)

 

[Cvillecpm]

Property managers, leasing agents/employees and real estate agents are not required to divulge information or provide information against their employer's/clients' interest just because it is asked.

OP was wise to check out the apts further and decide the decision to rent there based on that information.

 

[TigerD]

In that case, please point out the law that denies me the right to know whether you like to hot oil wrestle baby goats.

There is none.

You have a right ask.

And the answer is I don't like to hot oil wrestle baby goats, I do it because somebody has to hot oil wrestle baby goats if they need to be wrestled and it is good for the skin.

However, I could also have exercised my right to decline to answer.

I imagine that if people asking other people about hot oil wrestling baby goats became a problem, the state legislature would pass a law restricting that question, at least on Sundays when everybody knows baby goats should be in church.

DC

PS: I do also take your point that I should have phrased that a little differently.