Are there any specific prohibitions under Fair Housing Law?

Yes, there are specific prohibitions under Fair Housing Law in Virginia. All individuals in Virginia are protected from discrimination in housing transactions, which includes the sale and rental of real estate. Discrimination is prohibited on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, familial status or sex. It is illegal for real estate professionals, landlords, lenders, insurers, or anyone else involved in the housing market to deny or limit housing opportunities to individuals based on these protected characteristics. This includes advertising a property in a way that would exclude certain classes of people. Additionally, it is illegal to use any “covenants,” or agreements between property owners, to deny certain people the use of a property or neighborhood due to their race, national origin, sex or other protected characteristic. It is also illegal to harass, interfere with, or intimidate someone to prevent them from exercising their right to fair housing. This includes intimidating people from filing a discrimination complaint or participating in a fair housing investigation. Finally, all individuals must be given equal access to housing opportunities, regardless of protected characteristics. Individuals may not be denied access to housing based on these characteristics, and any discriminatory actions that occur must be addressed and corrected.

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