November 2024 Coach's Quiz
QUESTION #1
Which of the following is a legitimate reason for refusing to rent to an unmarried couple?
a. Sincere belief that cohabitation and fornication outside of marriage is a mortal sin
b. Concern that the couple’s unmarried status won’t mesh with the “Christian values” of other tenants
c. The couple’s combined income isn’t enough to meet your community’s minimum income requirements
QUESTION #2
A pair of divorcees who each earn $50,000 a year want to lease a two-bedroom apartment in a community where the minimum income required for such units is $75,000. So, they ask the landlord to consider their aggregate income in determining whether they meet the $75,000 minimum. The landlord refuses, explaining that it considers combined income only for married couples. Did the landlord commit marital status discrimination?
a. Yes, because the landlord denied the divorced applicants housing that it would have leased to them had they been married
b. No, because combining income for married couples only is a legitimate policy given the availability of joint and several liability
c. No, because landlords must always consider individual income in determining if cohabiting adults are qualified to lease an apartment
QUESTION #3
A married couple expresses interest in renting a two-bedroom apartment at your community. You have two vacant two-bedroom apartments. One is located on the 10th floor, which has a reputation as being “the party floor” due to its predominately unmarried tenants; the other is on the fourth floor, a quieter floor with mostly married tenants. Which apartment should you show the couple?
a. The apartment on the fourth floor only
b. The apartment on the 10th floor only
c. Both apartments
COACH’S ANSWERS & EXPLANATIONS
QUESTION #1
Correct answer: c
Reason: Rules #1 and #4 apply here:
Rule #1: Don’t Exclude Unmarried Prospects on Religious or Moral Grounds
Rule #4: Beware of Steering
Minimum income is a legitimate criterion for selecting tenants, provided that the landlord consistently applies it to all rental applicants without regard to marital status. Thus, to the extent that the landlord would reject any pair of adults whose combined income is below the community’s minimum income requirements, the fact that the couple in this case happens to be unmarried is irrelevant. So, c. is the right answer.
Wrong answers explained:
a. The reason a. is wrong is that religious and moral belief, no matter how sincere or fervent, is not legitimate grounds for excluding groups that the fair housing laws protect.
b. Refusing to rent to applicants on the basis of their “comfort” or “fit” with other tenants is illegal steering to the extent your assessment is based on their marital status. And that’s exactly what the landlord did in concluding that being an unmarried couple wouldn’t fit in at a “Christian” community.
QUESTION #2
Correct answer: a
Reason: Rule #7 applies here:
Rule #7: Consider Total Income of All Adults Who Will Live in Apartment
It’s generally advisable to consider the total income of all adults who will live in an apartment in determining whether cohabiting prospects meet your community’s income requirements. The key is to be consistent. What you can’t do is vary the rules depending on applicants’ marital status, such as by considering total income only for married couples. So, a. is the right answer.
Wrong answers explained:
b. Joint and several liability does provide landlords recourse in the event a married couple who had enough combined income to qualify for an apartment splits up after moving in, leaving behind a spouse who doesn’t have enough income to pay rent on his or her own. However, joint and several liability of individual spouses for a married couple’s rent and other debts isn’t recognized in all states; and even where it does exist, it’s not a legitimate justification for basing income requirements on applicants’ marital status.
c. The statement that landlords are legally required to consider each adult’s income individually in determining whether cohabiting adults meet a community’s minimum income requirements is simply not true. If anything, fair housing law calls for the opposite approach of combining applicants’ income. Once more, the key is to be consistent and apply the same rules to all applicants regardless of their marital status.
QUESTION #3
Correct answer: c
Reason: Rule #4 applies here:
Rule #4: Beware of Steering
Steering prospects to certain parts of your community based on their marital status is illegal discrimination, even if you sincerely think they’d be happier or more comfortable in those locations. Your obligation is to make all vacancies that meet the prospects’ requirements available and allow them to decide for themselves where they’d be most comfortable. In this scenario, that means showing the couple the vacant apartments on both the 10th and fourth floors. So, c. is the correct answer.
Wrong answers explained:
a. is wrong because even if you think the couple would be happier on the fourth floor, you should still show them the unit on the 10th floor.
b. is wrong for the same reasons that a. is wrong. Bottom line: It’s up to the couple and not you to decide whether they want to live on the fourth or 10th floor.
