The US government has filed a lawsuit against Airbnb, alleging that the home rental company violated the Fair Housing Act by allowing a host to refuse renting an apartment to a mother with three school-age children.
In the complaint filed in San Francisco federal court, the Department of Justice stated that Jarrod Blake, the host, rejected a rental application from Charisse Ylitalo and her sons, aged nine, 11, and 14, citing that the apartment was not suitable for children. The complaint highlighted that Airbnb permits hosts to designate properties as unsuitable for children aged two to 12 or infants under age two.
Ms. Ylitalo had sought a three-month rental in Huntsville, Alabama, to minimize disruptions for her children before moving to Hawaii, where her husband had taken a new job. After being told that the apartment was not suitable for kids, Ms. Ylitalo objected, pointing out that it is illegal to discriminate against people with children.
Airbnb later informed Ms. Ylitalo that hosts need not accept children and suggested she find another rental. As a result, Ms. Ylitalo and her sons ended up an hour’s drive from Huntsville, causing disruptions and isolation that led her husband to return to his old job, which paid thousands of dollars less than the Hawaii job.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and an injunction requiring Airbnb to take steps to prevent further discrimination. Airbnb’s website states that the company prohibits hosts from discriminating based on “familial status (having children).”
Jarrod Blake, a resident of Santa Monica, California, could not be reached for comment.