What does the Fair Housing Act prohibit?

The Fair Housing Act is a significant piece of legislation that aims to eliminate discrimination in housing practices. It specifically prohibits discrimination in housing based on various protected classes, which include race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and familial status. This means that individuals cannot be denied housing opportunities or subjected to different terms and conditions in housing based on these characteristics.

The breadth of the Fair Housing Act reflects the intention to create an equitable housing market where everyone has the right to choose where they live without facing prejudice. The act applies to a wide range of housing-related activities, including the sale or rental of housing, mortgage lending, and other related services.

The other options do not accurately reflect the scope of the Fair Housing Act. For instance, discrimination based on age and income level is not covered by this act, and the act does not focus solely on discrimination against landlords or restrict its protections only to commercial real estate transactions. Thus, the focus on various protected classes makes this option the correct understanding of what the Fair Housing Act prohibits.