Southwest Fair Housing Council Announces $9,500 Settlement in Familial Status Case

TUCSON, AZ - [9/8/2026] - Southwest Fair Housing Council (SWFHC) announces the resolution of a fair housing matter involving allegations that a prospective renter was discouraged from renting a home because she had a young child. The disputed claims were resolved through a $9,500 settlement without a finding of liability.

According to the complaint, the prospective renter was interested in a house advertised for rent with a swimming pool, met the financial qualifications, and wanted to rent the home. After the housing provider learned that she had a child under five years old, the provider allegedly told her that the property was not a good place for a family with a child.

The prospective renter offered to install a fence around the pool to address possible safety concerns. Nevertheless, the home remained unavailable to her, and the matter ultimately resulted in the settlement.

"Families should never be told that a home is not for them simply because they have children," said Jay Young, Executive Director of SWFHC. "Safety concerns can be addressed through lawful, consistently applied rules, but they cannot be used to steer families away from otherwise available housing."

The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination because of familial status. This protection generally includes families with children under 18, pregnant people, and people who have or are seeking legal custody of children. Housing providers may maintain reasonable health and safety rules, but they generally may not steer a family away from otherwise available housing simply because children will live there.

This resolution serves as a reminder that statements suggesting a property, neighborhood, or amenity is unsuitable for children can raise serious fair housing concerns. Parents ordinarily decide whether a home is appropriate for their children, subject to lawful and consistently applied occupancy and safety requirements.

About Southwest Fair Housing Council (SWFHC)

Southwest Fair Housing Council works to eliminate all forms of illegal housing discrimination across Arizona. Through community outreach, education, research, and enforcement, SWFHC helps ensure that every Arizonan has access to fair and equitable housing opportunities.

Media Contact
Tasha Lynch
Manager of Operations and Investigations
tasha@swfhc.org