Max of Two Humans Per Bedroom is Discriminatory?!

[Marc Winter]

HUD ANNOUNCES SETTLEMENT WITH CALIFORNIA LANDLORDS RESOLVING CLAIM
OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION--because of 'unreasonably restrictive two-person-per-bedroom occupancy policy'

Read below the Agreement issued by HUD. Does it make sense that many, if not most municipalities only allow 2-per-bedroom as per zoning laws, but HUD says that's discriminatory? So how many people per room is too many? 3? 5? 8? More?

This is just another example of what can happen when the Government gets involved with (IMHO) sensible and responsible practices of landlords and the Gubment looks for reasons to restrict and fine them.  

(OK, I'll step down off the soapbox now.  Thanks for reading.)  

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced the approval of a Conciliation Agreement between Inland Fair Housing and Mediation Board and a group of Upland, CA, property owners and managers resolving allegations that they discriminated against families with children by refusing to rent to them and by imposing different occupancy terms and conditions to families with children. Read the agreement.

The Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to deny or limit housing because a family has children under the age of 18, and to make statements or establish rules and policies that discriminate against families with children. Housing may exclude children only if it meets the Fair Housing Act's exemption for housing for older persons.

“Families looking for safe, decent housing shouldn’t be penalized because they have children,” said Anna María Farías, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “Today’s agreement reaffirms HUD’s commitment to ensuring that housing providers meet their obligation to treat all applicants the same.”

The case came to HUD’s attention when Inland Fair Housing and Mediation Board (IFHMB), a HUD Fair Housing Initiatives Program agency, filed a complaint based on results from their fair housing tests. IFHMB alleged the tests showed the property owners and two property managers refused to rent to families with children and/or offered them different lease terms and conditions. The owners and managers also allegedly implemented an unreasonably restrictive two-person-per-bedroom occupancy policy at two rental properties. The owners and managers deny they discriminated against families with children but agreed to resolve the matter through the Conciliation Agreement.

Under the terms of the agreement, the owners and property managers will pay IFHMB $10,000, abolish any two-person-per-bedroom policy, remove language regarding the two-person-per-bedroom policy from advertising and marketing materials, and have property managers and staff that interact with applicants and tenants attend fair housing training.

[Jim K.]

Absolutely it's discriminatory. If they want to sleep in the same bed with their six sister-wives, who are we landlords to stand in the way of the sanctity of the Principle?