Can a landlord legally prefer tenants based on behavior if it indirectly affects a protected class?

@Rohan
The Fair Housing Act allows age-restricted communities.

If you think you’ve found a clever loophole for something illegal, it’s likely someone else tried and failed. Judges are not easily fooled by such workarounds.

Look into disparate impact. It explains why policies that seem neutral can still be discriminatory.

Disparate impact is when a policy indirectly targets a group. For example, if a business in Detroit refuses to hire people who enjoy rap music, it could disproportionately exclude Black applicants.

Discrimination often hides behind policies that seem neutral. Judges usually see through that.

It would come down to a judge or jury deciding your true intent. Be cautious.

Neely said:
It would come down to a judge or jury deciding your true intent. Be cautious.

Thanks, but this is purely hypothetical. I’m not a landlord or in the alcohol business, and I don’t even drink.

If you’re a small landlord renting fewer than four units, you might not have to explain your choices legally. But always tread carefully.

Science doesn’t always translate cleanly into social constructs. It would be tough to prove your decisions aren’t hiding discrimination.