Legal Question in Real Estate Law in District of Columbia
Minimum Annual Income Requirements for Residents possibly used to screen out stu
I am an undergraduate student at the George Washington University, and am interested in living in a nearby apartment building, Columbia Plaza (CP). CP told me that a potential candidate for a studio must have a minimum annual income of $36,000. Also, co-signers and guarantors are ''not acceptable in lieu of adequate income''.
I work part time during the academic year, and full time over the summer. My annual income stands presently at $16,320. My parents pay my tuition as well as room and board charges while I am in school.
The Columbia Plaza leasing office will deny my application, based on the fact that my income alone is not over $36,000, despite the fact that it is more than quadruple the cost of 4 month's rent (during the summer) and the fact that my parents, whose income satisfies their requirement, will be paying the other 8 months.
Columbia Plaza had many complaints from residents years ago due to the large student population living there, and now they require a minimum annual income all but unattainable by a full time undergraduate and disallow cosigners and guarantors. The D.C. Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on status as a student, but that seems to be exactly what Columbia Plaza is doing.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Minimum Annual Income Requirements for Residents possibly used to screen out
Many rental complexes in the area have these minimum income requirements for rental eligibility
and one of their motives could well be as a means of excluding college students as you have suggested.
However, as long as the requirement is applicable across the board, so to speak, to everyone who
may wish to apply, a charge of discrimination under the D.C. Human Rights Act or other violation
of anti-discriminatory fair housing laws is likely to go nowhere.
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