Why you don't want to be a LL in Madison and Dane County in Wisconsin
Just out of interest to the subject of housing discrimination.
Federal protected classes include:
* race
* color
* religion
* sex
* national origin
* mental or physical disability
* familial status (including pregnancy).
Wisconsin includes federally protected classes plus the following:
* sexual orientation
* marital status
* age (for people over 18; children are protected through family status)
* lawful source of income.
Madison and Dane County include all federal and state protections plus the following:
* type of military discharge
* arrest or conviction record (limited protections)
* physical appearance
* political beliefs
* student status
* victims of domestic abuse or other crimes (limited protections)
* refusal to disclose Social Security Number (City of Madison only).
Examples of people who are not protected under City of Madison, Dane County, state or federal law include: smokers, vegetarians, and people with pets that are not service or therapy animals. Local cities and counties might have additional protected classes or varying specifics.
For instance, the City of Madison also makes it illegal for landlords to discriminate solely on a "three times the rent" or minimum income standard. Landlords must disclose such standards in writing and accept applicants if they demonstrate evidence that they have paid an equal or higher proportion of rent successfully in the past (MGO 32.12(6)). See Tenant Resource Center's information on Minimum Income Requirements.
Additionally, Dane County forbids housing discrimination based on conviction record unless it presents a reasonable fear for safety of residents or employees (DCO 31.11(5)). City of Madison further includes arrest record and adds that discrimination is illegal if more than two years have passed since the tenant was placed on probation, paroled, relased from incarceration, or paid a fine, and is illegal if the landlord does not use a uniform process of checking arrest and conviction records (MGO 3.23(4)).
In the City of Madison, a landlord may not deny housing or services due to the fact that the applicant has declined to disclose his or her Social Security Number when such disclosure is not compelled by state or federal law (MGO 3.23(4)(a) and 3.23(5)).
Cheers.