​​Pursuant to State Government Article, §20-702, Annotated Code of Maryland, it is the policy of the State of Maryland to provide for fair housing throughout the State, to all its citizens, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or source of income. The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR) is charged with enforcing the State’s Fair Housing Laws.
Housing discrimination laws make it illegal to:

• Refuse to rent a dwelling to any qualified buyer or renter;
• Use discriminatory terms and conditions in selling or renting;
• Set terms and conditions of home loans in such a way as to discriminate;
• Use discriminatory notices or advertisements indicating a preference or discriminatory limitations;
• Say that a dwelling is not available for inspection, sale, or rent when, in fact, it is available;
• Attempt to steer persons into or away from neighborhoods or apartment complexes due to being members of a protected class;
• Treat a person differently from everyone else because of race, color, disability, familial status (parent or legal custodian with children, pregnant), religion, sex, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or source of income;
• Request information about birth control and/or family planning practices;
• Refuse to consider both applicants’ incomes when seeking to buy or rent;
• Commit acts of prejudice, violence, harassment, intimidation, or abuse directed against families or individuals or their residential property.

If you have a disability, you are protected under the law. It is against the law to:

• Refuse to permit, or at the expense of the renter, reasonable house modifications that are necessary for the daily life of a person with a mental or physical disability;
• Refuse to reasonably accommodate or adjust rules, policies, services or practices that hamper the use of an apartment, condominium, or house by a person with a physical or mental disability;
• Have multi-family housing that is not accessible to people with disabilities. Multi-family housing is required to have accessible units and access routes (wide doors and hallways), accessible public and common areas, and management must provide for effective communication as needed by a disabled person.

Harassment on the basis of a protected class (above, such as sexual harassment), and retaliation for filing a complaint or being involved in the investigation are both prohibited under law and enforced by MCCR.

If you have been denied your housing rights, you may have experienced unlawful discrimination. If you believe that actions have been taken against you based on a discriminatory animus, it is imperative that you contact our agency immediately to initiate an inquiry, so that we can assist you in determining if you have been a victim of housing discrimination. Our trained Intake Staff will guide you through the intake process and, through a series of questions and interviews, help you analyze your situation to determine if the actions taken against you meet the threshold of being considered discriminatory.​

For deaf and hard of hearing individuals as well as those with limited English proficiency, MCCR provides Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) services free of charge to you upon request. MCCR will also assist with securing an interpreter free of charge if one is requested in advance of your appointment with MCCR.

Find out how to initiate an inquiry with MCCR​​.

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