As a real estate agent, I’m often asked about the demographics of neighborhoods; however, Fair Housing and DC Human Rights laws prohibit real estate professionals from answering questions like that. For example, if I said, “There are alot of young single students in this neighborhood,” it could be considered a violation of a D.C. human rights law. Most people understand that discrimination based on race is illegal; however, the majority of people are unaware of the other 15 protected classes in the District of Columbia. In this article, I will list all of the protected classes under Federal and District of Columbia law, explain what acts are considered discriminatory, list exemptions from human rights laws covering housing and commercial space, and explain how to file a claim if you feel you have been a victim of discrimination.
