WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced the owners and managers of a single-family rental home in Nampa, Idaho, will pay $15,000 pursuant to a Consent Order resolving allegations that they violated the Fair Housing Act by refusing to rent the large home to a married couple because they have more than four children.

The Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to deny or limit housing because a family has children under the age of 18, make statements that discriminate against families with children, and impose different rules, restrictions or policies on them.

“Persons attempting to provide a home for their family should not have their housing options limited because they have children,” said Anna María Farías, HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “Today’s action will hopefully serve as a reminder to all housing providers of the importance of meeting their obligations to comply with the requirements of the Fair Housing Act.”

“This Consent Order is another example of the important role HUD plays in enforcing the Fair Housing Act,” said HUD General Counsel Paul Compton. “Not only have we obtained relief for the family that was denied housing, but we have also educated housing providers about their responsibilities under the law.”

The Consent Order resolves a charge that HUD filed in May 2019, alleging that the homeowners discriminated against a family attempting to lease their 2,600 square foot, four-bedroom rental home because they have seven minor children. Specifically, HUD’s charge alleges when the couple met with the property manager about renting the home, he told them that the owners had set a limit of four children for the home. The charge also alleges a policy restricting the number of children was written in the rental contract.

Under the Consent Order, the owners will pay $15,000 to the couple and their seven children. The owners also agreed to retain the services of a professional property management company to manage their rental properties, and they attended fair housing training following the filing of the couple’s initial complaint.

Persons who believe they have experienced discrimination may file a complaint by contacting HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (800) 669-9777 (Voice) or (800) 927-9275 (TTY). Housing discrimination complaints may also be filed by going to www.hud.gov/fairhousing, or by downloading HUD’s free housing discrimination mobile application, which can be accessed through Apple devices, such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.