Which of the following would meet the definition of having a disability?

• A. An impairment that substantially limits one or more of the person's major life activities.
• B. A temporary illness
• C. A neighborhood preference
• D. A political affiliation

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is how disability is defined under fair housing law: a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, or a record of such an impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment. An impairment that substantially limits major life activities fits this definition because it shows the condition affects essential functions like walking, seeing, hearing, learning, working, or other fundamental activities. That kind of substantial limitation makes a person protected under the disability provision.

A temporary illness usually does not meet this standard, since the Fair Housing Act looks for long-term or chronic effects that substantially limit major life activities, not short-term conditions. A neighborhood preference and a political affiliation are unrelated to impairment and therefore do not describe a disability under the statute.