Housing Counselor Certification (HUD) Practice Exam

Which practice remained legal after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

1. Real estate agencies practicing redlining

2. Housing discrimination based on income

3. Preference for tenants with no children

4. Marketing properties specifically to one ethnic group

The correct answer is: Preference for tenants with no children

The practice that remained legal after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the preference for tenants with no children. The Act primarily targeted discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. While it made significant strides in combating segregation and unequal treatment in various sectors, including housing, it did not specifically address familial status as a protected class. This means that landlords and property owners could still legally express preferences regarding tenants with children, making this choice a permissible practice following the Act. On the other hand, redlining by real estate agencies, discrimination based on income, and marketing properties specifically to one ethnic group are all practices that involve discrimination against protected classes or groups, which would have been rendered illegal by the principles established in the Civil Rights Act. These practices are in direct violation of the intention of the Act to foster equality and prevent discriminatory behavior in housing and other areas.