Federal Fair Housing Laws Practice Exam

Federal fair housing law sets a nationwide baseline of protections. State and local laws can extend those protections by adding more protected classes or enacting stricter rules, so someone facing discrimination may have remedies under both the FHA and the applicable state or local law. In practice, the FHA provides the floor, while state and local laws can raise the bar and broaden coverage (for example, protecting against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or source of income in certain jurisdictions). If a state law expands protections, it can apply alongside the FHA; only in rare conflict scenarios would federal law govern, but states cannot undermine the protections the FHA guarantees—they can only strengthen them.