The Happy Bachelor
  • About
  • Blog
  • Published Pieces
  • How to be a Happy Bachelor
  • Coaching
    • Bachelor Coaching
    • Writing Coaching
    • Singlehood Classes
  • Resources on Singlehood
  • Bachelor Cooking
  • Contact
  • Pro-Singlehood Movie Reviews

Fairness in the Fair Housing Act

5/15/2020

1 Comment

 
Editor's Note: Rachel Sutton, a graduating senior at Hampton University, and student in my How to be Single and Happy class, wrote this letter about how the Fair Housing Act can be interpreted by some to be discriminatory against singles; her letter calls to level the playing field.

Rachel Sutton
Hampton University
216 Multi Use Facility
Hampton, VA 23668
 
 
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 7th Street S.W.
Washington, DC 20410
Telephone: (202) 708-1112
 
To Whom it May Concern:
 
The Federal Fair Housing Act under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development states that it does not prohibit marital status discrimination. However, fewer than half of the states have laws that prohibit landlords from discriminating on the basis of marital status. Furthermore, in some of these states, courts have interpreted the laws so that unmarried couples do not receive protection from housing discrimination. In other states, courts have broadly interpreted the laws to give unmarried couples protection from housing discrimination.
​
This is completely unfair due to the fact that landlords can refuse single individuals housing or place unnecessary rules in their lease. In addition, states are interpreting the law so that it does not work in the favor of single individuals, which is a continued issue. Many cities have zoning laws as well, which allow an unlimited number of relatives to live together in a "single family" zone, but prohibits a group of single adults from living in the same area. This could further complicate a single person that is looking for a place to live, due to who is living around them.

The Federal Fair Housing Act completely prohibits marital status discrimination due to the loopholes that many states, and their landlords have found. The document needs to include specifics so that states can not discriminate on their own basis, and so that it will be fairer for people regardless of where they are in the U.S.
 
Sincerely,
 
Rachel Sutton
 

1 Comment
Dale Nyhus link
5/19/2020 06:19:59 am

Laws often fail to protect those who are single, and especially those who are single without kids. All federal equal opportunity laws should be amended to include both “marital status” and “familial status”.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    My name is Craig.  I'm an educator, writer, and unapologetic singleton.  When not reading, writing, or teaching, I enjoy hiking, running, watching movies, going to concerts, spending time with friends, and playing with my cat/son, Chester.

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • About
  • Blog
  • Published Pieces
  • How to be a Happy Bachelor
  • Coaching
    • Bachelor Coaching
    • Writing Coaching
    • Singlehood Classes
  • Resources on Singlehood
  • Bachelor Cooking
  • Contact
  • Pro-Singlehood Movie Reviews