Michigan Legal Aid

Discrimination in Rental Housing

The Basics of Discrimination

Federal Law prohibits your landlord from discriminating against you based on your

• Race

• Color

• National Origin

• Religion

• Sex

• Disability

• Familial Status

Michigan laws prohibit your landlord from discriminating against you based on ALL of the above, AND:

• Your Age

• Your Marital Status

In some areas, you are protected from discrimination based on ALL of the above, AS WELL AS:

• Your Source of Income

• Your Sexual Orientation

• Your Student or Non-Student Status

Acts that are ILLEGAL under fair housing laws include:

• Refusal to Sell To, Rent To, or Negotiate With a Tenant

• Difference in Availability of Apartments and Apartment Features

• Difference in Prices, Terms, or Conditions for Rent or Sale

• Differences in Services Provided by Agent or Owner

• Discourteous Treatment

• Harassment, Intimidation, or Threats

Discrimination in housing takes many forms. With few exceptions, the laws in most cities prohibit the following acts when based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, student status, or source of income:

• Discrimination in the sale, rental, brokering, negotiating for, advertising, or financing of property;

• Steering of a home seeker to or away from a particular location/property. This could mean directing someone to a particular neighborhood or section of a rental complex;

• Limiting or changing of terms, conditions, privileges, use of facilities, or the provision of services associated with real estate, such as requiring a higher security deposit;

• Application of stricter qualifying terms, such as a discriminatory use of credit history;

• Misrepresentation of the availability of a unit;

• Sexual harassment by an agent or owner;

• Harassment of buyers, renters, landlords, real estate agents or sellers who are exercising their fair housing rights or responsibilities.

Housing discrimination is not always obvious. You may hear lines such as:

• "We just rented the last unit."

• "Your son and daughter can't share a bedroom."

• "You can't put a ramp in here."

• "You have to be 21 to sign the lease."

To learn more about housing rights in Michigan and where to get help:    

Consult the Michigantenants.org website for local housing resources and tenant counseling services. 

Consult the Michiganlegalaid.org website for legal education articles and local service information.

If you received court papers or otherwise need free or low cost legal advice:

• Visit Michiganlegalaid.org and search for local assistance by entering your zip code in the box marked “Find a lawyer, organization or related service to help you with your problem.”

• Contact the Michigan State Bar Lawyer Referral Service at (800) 968- 0738, or

• Persons age 60 or older, regardless of their income, may be able to receive free advice from the Legal Hotline for Michigan Seniors by calling (800) 347-5297.

This article appears courtesy of the Michigan Tenant Counseling Program.