Did you know that federal law makes it illegal for housing developers, landlords, and even homeowners associations to deny housing to families with children or to place unreasonable restrictions on children?

1. You Cannot Be Denied Housing Because You Have a Child Although it has been illegal for 20 years, many housing developments and apartment buildings still have rules prohibiting families with children or families expecting a child. With the exception of senior housing and small properties where the owner resides, such provisions are always illegal. 

2. You Cannot Be Evicted From Housing Because You Have Child While the birth of a child is usually a time for celebration, some landlords feel it is also the time for new parents to find another place to live. Though such actions are illegal, many facilities evict parents because they are expecting or have given birth to, adopted, or obtained custody of a child.

3. Families Cannot Be Restricted to One Area of a Building or Complex Some housing complexes allow families but restrict them to lower floors or to certain areas of the property. Both restrictions are illegal.

4. Rules Cannot Unfairly Target Children Many parents are unaware that it is illegal for landlords to make rules specifically against children. For example, a landlord cannot forbid children from a common area that adults are allowed to use.

5. Advertisements Cannot State That Children Are Not Wanted Finally, no property, other than seniors-only housing, is allowed to advertise that it is restricted to adults or that it will not allow children.