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Zillow now displays LGBT non-discrimination laws on all homes

Posted at 8:50 AM, Jun 24, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-24 11:59:10-04

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Real estate listing website Zillow says it has started sharing LGBTQ+ area legal protections for all of its listings.

The company says the new tool is a data-powered resource to help people see whether for-sale and rental listings are in communities where state and local regulations explicitly protect individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or anyone else in the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination.

All property listings on Zillow, including homes on and off market, now include information about the home’s jurisdiction and the local laws in place that protect fair and equal treatment in housing, employment, as well as public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Currently, only 22 U.S. states and the District of Columbia offer statewide laws explicitly prohibiting housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and those laws can vary significantly by jurisdiction.

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that an existing federal law forbids job discrimination by most employers on the basis of sexual orientation or transgender status.

The ruling stated that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which provides protection against workplace discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, race, and national origin, among other factors, now also covers sexual orientation and transgender status.

While the SCOTUS ruling is an important step forward for equal treatment of the LGBTQ+ community in the workplace, the company says, explicit housing and lending discrimination protections for LGBT people do not exist at the federal level.

Zillow says it is a proud supporter of the Equality Act, which would add these important protections to federal law, but is still awaiting consideration in the Senate.

According to the Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report, only 28% of LGBTQ+ buyers and 29% of LGBTQ+ renters completely agree with the statement “I feel accepted for who I am by those around me where I live,” compared to 51% of cisgender heterosexual buyers, and 40% of cisgender heterosexual renters.