What protected class was added to the Fair Housing Act in 1988?

The correct answer is familial status, which was added to the Fair Housing Act in 1988 as part of the Fair Housing Amendments Act. This addition made it unlawful to discriminate against individuals based on their familial status, which refers to having children under the age of 18 living with them, as well as pregnant women and individuals in the process of obtaining legal custody of a child. The inclusion of familial status aimed to protect the rights of families and ensure that they have equal access to housing options.

While the original Fair Housing Act, passed in 1968, included protections against discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, it did not cover familial status initially. The 1988 amendments expanded the scope of protections to include this critical category, recognizing the unique challenges families may face in the housing market. This addition underscores the importance of ensuring that families can find suitable living conditions without facing discrimination.

Other options like race, sexual orientation, and age, while important issues in housing discrimination, were either already covered by existing protections or have not been established as federal protected classes under the Fair Housing Act.