Which characteristic is not protected under the Fair Housing Act?

The characteristic that is not protected under the Fair Housing Act is marital status. The Fair Housing Act, which was enacted in 1968, is designed to prevent discrimination in housing based on specific characteristics. These include race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability.

While marital status can be a consideration in various contexts, it is not included in the federally protected categories outlined by the Fair Housing Act. This means that under federal law, individuals cannot file a complaint of housing discrimination based solely on their marital status.

Additional state or local laws may offer protections based on marital status, but such protections are not mandated at the federal level by the Fair Housing Act, illustrating a key distinction between federal and local legislation regarding housing discrimination.