Fair Housing Organizations and Tenant Turner Reach Agreement to Strengthen Fair Housing Practices in Rental Technology Platform

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fair Housing Organizations and Tenant Turner Reach Agreement to Strengthen Fair Housing Practices in Rental Technology Platform

Washington, D.C. — National Fair Housing Alliance® (NFHA™), Tenant Turner LLC, the Fair Housing Rights Center in Southeastern Pennsylvania (FHRC), and the Housing Equality Center of Pennsylvania (HECP) today announced a collaborative settlement agreement designed to enhance fair housing practices and promote equal access for individuals and families who rely on housing vouchers.

In May 2024, NFHA, FHRC, and HECP filed a federal administrative complaint alleging that certain features within Tenant Turner’s rental technology platform limited access  for people using housing vouchers when they attempted to self-schedule property tours. The complaint was based on the results of a coordinated investigation using fair housing testing and a review of listings on the platform. The investigation found that certain features of Tenant Turner’s software allowed landlords and property managers to limit self-scheduling options for prospective tenants with Housing Choice Vouchers. While Tenant Turner contends that prospective tenants could still contact landlords directly to arrange housing tours, the self-scheduling feature was not equally available to voucher holders dependent upon landlord determined prequalification criteria. Discrimination based on lawful source of income, including housing voucher use, is prohibited under many state or local laws and may also disproportionately impact veterans, families with children, people with disabilities, senior citizens, rural residents, and people of color.

After filing the administrative complaint, the parties worked together to address these concerns and advance equitable access to rental opportunities. The agreement reflects the shared view that housing providers, technology companies, and fair housing organizations all play a role in ensuring digital platforms support equal access to affordable housing—particularly for families who rely on housing vouchers.

Under the agreement, Tenant Turner will implement the following enhancements:

• Platform Enhancements to Support Equal Access: Prior to the settlement,Tenant Turner voluntarily refined its tenant scheduling features to ensure they do not create barriers for prospective tenants who use housing vouchers. Tenant Turner removed functionality that could be used to identify or filter applicants from self-scheduling a housing tour based on voucher use. These changes ensure that all prospective tenants, including Housing Choice Voucher holders, can self-schedule tours on an equal basis.
• Policies and Compliance Measures: Tenant Turner reaffirmed its commitment to nondiscrimination under the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and agreed to adopt an Equal Opportunity Policy guiding platform design and business practices. It also agreed to require new advertisers on the Tenant Turner platform to certify compliance with applicable fair housing laws.  The platform will also incorporate equal opportunity language and iconography throughout platform materials.
• Tools That Promote Transparency and Accountability: Under the settlement, Tenant Turner will implement a fair housing training program to ensure that staff and partners remain informed about fair housing requirements and best practices. This builds on Tenant Turner’s “Report This Listing” feature, which already allows users to flag potentially ‑noncompliant listings.

The settlement does not constitute an admission of liability or wrongdoing by Tenant Turner. As part of the settlement, Tenant Turner agreed to a monetary payment of $85,000 to NFHA, FHRC, and HECP in support of their fair housing missions.

“This agreement demonstrates the positive impact that cooperation and collaboration can have in strengthening fair housing protections in a rapidly evolving digital marketplace. We appreciate Tenant Turner’s willingness to work with us to ensure rental technologies uplift all communities and expand fair access to housing opportunities. NFHA also applauds the company’s commitment to ongoing Fair Housing training,” said Lisa Rice, President and CEO, National Fair Housing Alliance.

Tenant Turner is committed to building tools that serve all renters fairly,” said Vanessa Anderson, CEO, Tenant Turner. “While we do not believe our platform was used to discriminate against voucher holders, we recognize the importance of ensuring that our technology promotes equal access to housing. We were pleased to work collaboratively with NFHA, FHRC, and HECP to implement enhancements that further strengthen fair housing protections within our platform. This agreement reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting inclusive and equitable rental experiences for all prospective tenants.”

“Source of income discrimination reveals ways that specific companies misuse their power to withhold essential resources from vulnerable people by excluding them from limited, affordable, safe housing opportunities,” said Angela McIver, CEO, Fair Housing Rights Center in Southeastern Pennsylvania (FHRC). “FHRC commends Tenant Turner for its willingness to embrace fair housing practices that may increase access to housing and promote fair living for voucher holders in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.” 

 “Individuals and families who utilize housing choice vouchers face numerous challenges in finding safe and affordable rental housing in Philadelphia,” said Rachel Wentworth, Executive Director, Housing Equality Center of Pennsylvania (HECP). “HECP commends Tenant Turner for making these changes to comply with fair housing laws and the Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance and for increasing the ability for Philadelphia voucher holders to obtain access to the housing of their choice.”

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About NFHA

The National Fair Housing Alliance leads a coalition that works to build inclusive, well-resourced, and resilient communities; expand equitable opportunities; and end housing discrimination.

About FHRC

The Fair Housing Rights Center in Southeastern Pennsylvania ensures equal access to housing opportunities for all people. 

About HECP

Housing Equality Center of Pennsylvania works to advance fair and equal access to housing opportunities for all Pennsylvanians.