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Housing Discrimination

The Massachusetts anti-discrimination laws protect you if you are treated differently or unfairly based on your membership in a protected class by your landlord or condo association, and when you are seeking new housing.

Massachusetts Protected Classes in Housing:

  • Age
  • Children or Marital Status
  • Disability
  • Housing Subsidies or Rental Assistance
  • National Origin
  • Race/Ancestry
  • Religion
  • Sex or Gender Identity
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Source of Income
  • Veteran Status

As a property owner, landlord, property manager, mortgage lender and/or real estate agent, it is illegal to do the following based on membership in a protected class:

  • Refuse to rent or sell or negotiate housing.
  • Represent a dwelling as unavailable when it is actually available. This is a discriminatory practice called "steering."
  • Providing different lease or sale terms or privileges to different people.
  • Setting different conditions or privileges for sale or rental of a property.
  • Denying access to or membership in a facility or service related to the sale or rental of housing.
  • Imposing different rates and terms on a loan.
  • Refusing to make a mortgage loan.
  • Discrimination in appraising property.
  • Making discriminating inquiries.

If you think you have been a victim of housing discrimination contact:

Contact Information

Address

Office of Human Rights
51 Sever Street
Worcester, MA 01609

Contact

Phone: 508-799-1995
Email Us

Hours

Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.