Are landlords allowed to ask tenants about their criminal backgrounds in accordance with Fair Housing Law?

In accordance with Fair Housing Law, landlords in New York are not allowed to ask tenants about their criminal backgrounds. The law states that landlords are not allowed to discriminate against potential tenants based on their race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, familial status, or disability. This includes any criminal record or activities associated with a criminal background. In New York City, it is illegal for landlords to refuse to rent to someone because they have a criminal record, even if the crime is related to the rental property. Even vacancy ads in New York City must include the phrase "We comply with fair housing law." That being said, there are two exceptions to this rule. If the applicant has been convicted of a crime involving a threat of physical violence, a landlord can refuse to rent to them. Additionally, if the landlord does not rent to anyone with a criminal background, they can still run a criminal background check on applicants as long as they do it equally and fairly across the board. Overall, it is important to keep in mind that according to Fair Housing Law in New York, landlords are not allowed to ask tenants about their criminal backgrounds. This means that they cannot discriminate against potential tenants based on their criminal backgrounds.

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Are landlords allowed to ask tenants about their criminal backgrounds in accordance with Fair Housing Law?

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