Fair Housing Rights & Protections

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This page for renters explains fair housing rights, outlines federal, state, and local protections against housing discrimination, and identifies the agencies that enforce those laws. It also provides information on reporting discrimination, protections against retaliation, and resources for renters seeking assistance or filing complaints.

Understanding Your Rights 

The federal Fair Housing Act makes it illegal for landlords, leasing agents, property management companies, maintenance staff, insurance companies, and government bodies to discriminate against anyone based on “protected class status.”  

The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination based on

  • Race 
  • Color 
  • National Origin 
  • Religion 
  • Sex 
  • Disability 
  • Familial Status (presence of children under 18) 

The Washington Law Against Discrimination (RCW 49.60) protects additional classes from discrimination, including: 

  • Marital Status 
  • Sexual Orientation (including Gender Identity) 
  • Veteran/Military Status 
  • Creed 
  • Citizenship and immigration Status 

Finally, the Washington Residential Landlord Tenant Act protects against discrimination based on: 

  • Source of Income (e.g., Section 8 rental vouchers and other income subsidies).  

Who Enforces Fair Housing? 

Federal and State: 

Some cities and counties enforce local fair housing laws, including: 

All properties financed with Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) or HUD housing programs are required to comply with federal, state, and local fair housing laws and accept Section 8 vouchers as a source of income.

Reporting Housing Discrimination 

If you believe your housing rights may have been violated, we encourage you to speak up. It’s important to act quickly because an allegation must be filed with HUD by a certain deadline after the alleged violation.   

You can report discrimination by contacting your local fair housing organization, or a government agency that enforces fair housing laws in your region. We’ve provided a list below to help you find the right agency for your area. 

If your experience falls under the Fair Housing Act, you can file a complaint with HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. For other types of discrimination, your local fair housing agency can guide you to the right support. 

Retaliation is illegal. 

You are protected by law if you speak up about housing discrimination, help with an investigation, or report unfair treatment. This protection applies even after an investigation ends. If you think you’ve faced retaliation, you can report it. 

Local Fair Housing Agencies 

Western Washington

  • Fair Housing Center of Washington  
    • Receive fair housing information, and assistance advocating fair housing rights and filing complaints with enforcement agencies. Based in Tacoma, they serve 23 counties in Western and Central Washington. 

Eastern Washington

  • Northwest Fair Housing Alliance  
    • Receive fair housing information, and assistance advocating for fair housing rights and filing complaints with enforcement agencies. Based in Spokane, they serve 17 counties in Eastern and Central Washington. 

State and Local Laws Protections

Protecting Renters From Source of Income Discrimination

Washington State and some cities and counties have additional laws that prohibit discrimination based on participation in HUD’s Section 8 program and other government-funded housing programs. These state and local protections ensure that landlords cannot reject renters simply because they use vouchers or non-employment sources of income.  

To learn more about Washington State source of income protections visit: Washington Law Help.gov. Check with your local government or fair housing agency for specific protections in your area. 

For more information or to file a complaint, visit the websites above or contact the agencies directly. 

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Note:  Are you a Section 8 voucher holder living in a tax credit property?  There is a specific exception in federal regulations that allows tax credit owners to charge more than the tax credit rent limit if a resident is receiving a Section 8 rental subsidy.  It is important to remember that this does not qualify as source of income discrimination.  As long as your voucher’s public housing authority allows the owner to charge up to HUD’s Fair Market Rent, then the rent could go over the tax credit rent limit.