Being White Was Not an Issue in This Ohio Race Case

Most of the time, housing discrimination cases based on race involve complainants who believe they were treated differently because they're not white. But a recently announced Ohio case reminds us that the Fair Housing Act isn't so limiting; this particular dispute actually arose because the complainants aren't black.

According to a recent press release from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), owners of a three-bedroom house in Warrensville, Ohio allegedly discouraged an Hispanic prospect — as well as a fair housing tester — from renting after asking her why she would "want to live in a black neighborhood." The owners, who are black, explained they've had "problems" renting to tenants of other races, and eventually rented the house to a black family.

The owners will now have to defend themselves against a discrimination charge before a HUD administrative law judge.