The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Airbnb on Friday, accusing the short-term rental platform of violating the Fair Housing Act. The complaint stems from allegations that an Airbnb host in Alabama refused to rent a property to a mother due to her three school-aged children.
Allegations of Discrimination Against Families with Children
According to the DOJ’s complaint, Charisse Ylitalo and her husband, Christopher, sold their home near Huntsville, Alabama, in 2020 as part of a planned move to Hawaii. While Christopher started a new job and searched for housing in Hawaii, Charisse and their three children, ages 14, 11, and 9, sought temporary accommodations in Alabama.
Charisse inquired about renting an apartment through Airbnb from Jarrod Blake for a three-month period starting in August 2020. The complaint alleges that Blake denied her request, stating, “This apartment is not suitable for kids.” Despite Ylitalo’s objection that such discrimination was illegal, Blake reportedly did not respond further.
