WASHINGTON (March 13, 2018) – (RealEstateRama) — Recently, Florida Realtors became aware of several lawsuits filed against real estate brokers in Miami Dade and Broward counties concerning allegations of discriminatory advertising—a violation of fair housing laws. Specifically, brokers are being sued for discriminating against tenants with Section 8 vouchers. These violations, however, pertain to local ordinances, not the Federal Fair Housing Act. Under these local ordinances, landlords and Realtors are precluded from discriminating against tenants with Section 8 vouchers, as this falls under the protected class “source of income.”
Florida Realtors General Counsel Margy Grant advises that “Realtors are encouraged to audit their listings and advertising to ensure that no listing, either in the MLS or not, contains any language that disallows housing to someone with a Section 8 voucher. Realtors must work to educate their landlords or property managers that this is not permissible under the local ordinances.” For additional information contact Florida REALTORS Legal Hotline: 407-438-1409.
Realtors in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties should be aware that their county’s Fair Housing protected classes extend beyond those created under federal law. The federal Fair Housing Act protects against discrimination based on the following seven categories:
Race,
Color,
Religion,
National origin,
Sex,
Disability, and
Familial status.
