Federal law prohibits discrimination. The law applies to all jurisdictions. Although the vigor with which anti-discrimination law is enforced may vary from time to time, apartment managers and apartment management companies are always subject to that law.

Federal law expressly prohibits discrimination because of the following conditions:

It is legal in some jurisdictions to operate an apartment complex that rents only to senior citizens. It is generally unlawful to refuse to rent to people because they have children unless the complex has authority to operate as a senior citizen facility.

Owners are not expected to re-construct existing buildings to accommodate people who have disabilities. Reasonable accommodation is expected.

Even though an apartment complex may have a "no pets" policy, it is unlawful to refuse to rent to a visually impaired person who requires the assistance of a trained "guide dog."

If you tell a person, who is a member of a protected class, that you do not have an apartment available for rent when, in fact, you do, that probably constitutes discrimination.

If you offer an apartment to a member of a protected class at a higher price than the price quoted to people who are not in a protected class, that act probably constitutes discrimination.

If you demand a larger deposit from a member of a protected class than you demand of people who are not in a protected class, that behavior probably constitutes discrimination.

If you offer a very desirable apartment to a person who is not in a protected class, but in the same time frame, offer an inferior apartment to a member of a protected class because that person is a member of a protected class, that probably constitutes discrimination.

Categorical refusal, as a matter of policy, to rent to members of a protected class constitutes discrimination.

Members of a protected class must meet credit criteria, pass criminal background screens if those are used for other applicants and, generally, meet the same qualifying criteria as non-protected applicants.