Description
Maryland Fair Housing Rights Poster
Promote equal housing opportunity with the Maryland Fair Housing Rights Poster. This educational notice explains important protections against housing discrimination under Maryland's fair housing laws and helps inform tenants, homebuyers, applicants, and housing providers about their rights and responsibilities.
Poster Specifications
- Size: 17"W x 11"H
- Orientation: Landscape
- Language: English
- Format: Full-color fair housing rights notice
- Finish: Completely laminated with high-quality laminate
- Topic: Maryland fair housing and housing discrimination protections
What Is the Maryland Fair Housing Law?
Maryland's fair housing law prohibits unlawful discrimination in the sale, rental, financing, and availability of residential housing based on protected characteristics.
The law is enforced by the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR) and establishes protections for individuals seeking housing throughout Maryland.
Who Must Follow Maryland Fair Housing Laws?
Maryland fair housing requirements apply broadly to individuals and businesses involved in housing and housing-related services, subject to applicable statutory exceptions.
Covered housing providers and businesses can include:
- Landlords
- Apartment owners and managers
- Property management companies
- Real estate brokers and agents
- Home sellers
- Residential leasing companies
- Housing developers
- Condominium and homeowners associations
- Mortgage lenders
- Other housing-related service providers
What Characteristics Are Protected Under Maryland Fair Housing Law?
Maryland prohibits housing discrimination based on protected characteristics, including:
- Race
- Color
- Religion
- Sex
- Familial status
- National origin
- Marital status
- Sexual orientation
- Gender identity
- Disability
- Source of income
- Military status
Additional local fair housing protections may apply depending on the jurisdiction.
What Is Housing Discrimination?
Housing discrimination occurs when a housing provider unlawfully treats an individual differently because of a protected characteristic.
Examples of potentially unlawful housing practices include:
- Refusing to rent or sell housing
- Applying different rental terms or conditions
- Charging discriminatory fees or deposits
- Falsely claiming that available housing is unavailable
- Using discriminatory advertisements
- Steering prospective tenants or buyers toward particular neighborhoods
- Discriminating in mortgage lending
- Refusing reasonable disability accommodations
- Harassing tenants or housing applicants
- Retaliating against individuals exercising fair housing rights
Maryland Source of Income Protections
Maryland fair housing law prohibits unlawful discrimination based on a person's source of income.
These protections include qualifying government housing assistance, such as Housing Choice Vouchers.
Housing providers should apply lawful, nondiscriminatory rental qualification standards and comply with applicable Maryland requirements concerning income-based housing subsidies.
Disability Rights and Reasonable Accommodations
Maryland fair housing law protects individuals with physical and mental disabilities.
Housing providers may be required to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, or services when necessary to provide individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to use and enjoy housing.
Examples can include:
- Providing accessible parking accommodations
- Allowing qualifying assistance animals
- Modifying certain housing policies
- Providing appropriate communication accommodations
- Allowing reasonable physical modifications when required by law
Familial Status and Housing Discrimination
Maryland law generally protects families with children from unlawful housing discrimination.
Housing providers generally may not refuse housing, impose discriminatory conditions, or provide unequal services because a household includes children.
Certain qualifying senior housing arrangements may be subject to applicable exceptions.
Fair Housing Advertising Requirements
Maryland prohibits housing advertisements that indicate unlawful preferences, limitations, or discrimination based on protected characteristics.
Fair housing requirements can apply to:
- Rental advertisements
- Real estate listings
- Property management websites
- Social media advertisements
- Printed flyers and brochures
- Housing applications
- Other housing-related communications
Protection Against Housing Harassment and Retaliation
Maryland law prohibits unlawful harassment and retaliation involving protected fair housing rights.
Individuals may be protected when they report discrimination, request reasonable accommodations, file complaints, participate in investigations, or otherwise exercise rights under applicable fair housing laws.
How Can Someone Report Housing Discrimination?
Individuals who believe they have experienced unlawful housing discrimination may contact the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights.
MCCR investigates qualifying housing discrimination complaints and provides information about Maryland fair housing rights, complaint procedures, and available remedies.
Individuals generally have one year from the alleged discriminatory housing practice to file an administrative complaint with MCCR.
Is the Maryland Fair Housing Poster Required?
Maryland fair housing laws are mandatory, but this Maryland-specific educational poster should not be confused with a universally required state workplace posting.
Maryland's fair housing requirements apply to covered housing providers and housing-related transactions. Displaying a fair housing notice can help communicate equal housing opportunity and nondiscrimination policies.
Covered housing providers may also have separate federal Fair Housing poster requirements under the federal Fair Housing Act.
Maryland Fair Housing Poster vs. Federal Fair Housing Poster
The Maryland Fair Housing Rights Poster explains protections established under Maryland law, including additional protected characteristics recognized by the state.
The federal Fair Housing poster addresses federal housing discrimination protections and is subject to separate federal posting and format requirements.
This Maryland-specific 8.5 x 11-inch poster should not be treated as a substitute for the required federal HUD Fair Housing poster.
Where Can the Maryland Fair Housing Poster Be Displayed?
The Maryland Fair Housing Rights Poster can be displayed in customer-facing areas where prospective tenants, buyers, residents, and housing applicants can readily review fair housing information.
Appropriate locations can include:
- Apartment leasing offices
- Property management offices
- Real estate brokerage offices
- Rental offices
- Model home sales offices
- Housing authority reception areas
- Mortgage and housing service offices
- Other housing-related public areas
Maryland Housing and Workplace Compliance Resources
Labor Law Compliance Center provides Maryland businesses and housing providers with state and federal labor law posters, fair housing notices, specialty workplace postings, and compliance resources. Visit our Maryland Labor Law Posters page or browse our Maryland State Specialty Posters for additional Maryland compliance products.
