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Map of Connecticut eviction risk by county

Fair Housing Protected Classes in Connecticut 2026

Federal Fair Housing Act baseline plus Connecticut-specific additions under C.G.S. § 46a-64c.

14 classes Total protected (7 federal + 7 state)
Statewide Source-of-income protection
7 additions Beyond federal baseline
$25,597 Federal first-offense max civil penalty (24 C.F.R. § 180.671)
Federal baseline (uniform in Connecticut): The Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3604, prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (incl. sexual orientation and gender identity per HUD 2021), familial status, and disability. These seven classes are enforceable in Connecticut through HUD complaint regardless of what state law says.

Source of Income, Section 8 / HCV Status in Connecticut

Connecticut: Source of Income Is Protected Statewide.

Connecticut is a source-of-income protected state. Landlords statewide must consider applicants paying with Section 8 vouchers, other federal/state housing subsidies, child support, social security, or any other lawful source of income.

All 14 Protected Classes in Connecticut

Federal classes apply uniformly. The classes shaded green below are Connecticut-specific additions under C.G.S. § 46a-64c.

Race (federal)
Color (federal)
Religion (federal)
National Origin (federal)
Sex (federal)
Familial Status (federal)
Disability (federal)
Sexual Orientation
Gender Identity / Expression
Marital / Civil Union Status
Age
Lawful Source of Income (incl. HCV)
Veteran Status
Ancestry

Recent Connecticut Statutory Activity

PA 22-118 (2022) clarified lawful-source-of-income protection includes Section 8 vouchers.

If you own rental property in Connecticut, start with the rule that trips up the most landlords: you cannot refuse an applicant simply because they would pay rent with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher. Lawful source of income is a protected class statewide here, so "no vouchers," "no Section 8," and quiet rejections of voucher holders are all unlawful. This is not a town-by-town ordinance you can dodge by renting in a different county, it applies across every Connecticut municipality.

The governing law is C.G.S. § 46a-64c, Connecticut's fair housing statute, enforced by the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. It layers seven additional protected classes on top of the seven federal categories from the Fair Housing Act. With average rent around $1,727, voucher demand is real, and so is the enforcement risk for landlords who screen on income source.

The Statute and Who Enforces It

Connecticut's housing-discrimination rules live in C.G.S. § 46a-64c, which makes it illegal to refuse to rent, set different terms, or steer applicants based on a protected characteristic. The federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3604) already bars discrimination on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability, seven classes that apply nationwide. Connecticut adopts all of those and goes further.

Enforcement runs through the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO), the state agency that takes complaints, investigates, and pursues remedies. A renter who believes a landlord rejected them for a protected reason can file with the CHRO; landlords found in violation face state penalties and may also be exposed to federal civil penalties where the federal classes overlap. Both tracks can run at once.

The Seven Classes Connecticut Adds

Beyond the federal seven, C.G.S. § 46a-64c protects applicants and tenants on the basis of: sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; marital or civil union status; age; lawful source of income (including Housing Choice Vouchers); veteran status; and ancestry. Each is a real basis for a complaint in Connecticut, not aspirational language.

The lawful-source-of-income category is the one with the sharpest practical bite, because it converts a routine screening habit, declining voucher tenants, into a violation. Age and marital/civil union status also catch landlords who think they're just exercising preference: refusing a young adult applicant or a couple in a civil union on those grounds is unlawful. Veteran status and ancestry round out protections that many small owners don't realize their state recognizes.

What Changed: PA 22-118 and Section 8

The most consequential recent clarification is Public Act 22-118 (2022), which made explicit that lawful-source-of-income protection includes Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers. If you ever assumed voucher holders were fair game to decline, that act closed the door. A voucher is a lawful source of income, and treating it as a disqualifier is treating a protected class as a disqualifier.

In practice this means a landlord must evaluate a voucher applicant on the same neutral criteria used for everyone else, rental history, the tenant's share of the income standard, references, and cannot impose a blanket voucher ban or quietly stop responding once Section 8 comes up. The income or affordability test must be applied to the tenant's actual portion, not the full rent as if no voucher existed.

Screening and Advertising Traps for Small Landlords

Most Connecticut violations are not malice, they're language. The fastest way to draw a CHRO complaint is an ad that says "no Section 8," "no vouchers," "working professionals only," or "adults preferred." Each of these can map directly onto source of income, familial status, or age. Scrub them from listings, application forms, and the casual replies you send to inquiries, a screenshot of a text message is evidence.

Apply one written, consistent screening standard to every applicant and document why anyone is declined. Don't ask about a civil union, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, or military service, and don't let those facts steer your decision. Under HUD's 2021 post-Bostock reading of the Fair Housing Act's "sex" protection, sexual orientation and gender identity are covered federally too, so Connecticut's explicit listing simply reinforces an obligation that already exists on two levels.

The Cost of a Fair-Housing Violation

Federal civil penalty (uniform in all states): Up to $25,597 for a first-offense FHA violation under 24 C.F.R. § 180.671 (HUD inflation-adjusted). Repeat offenders face up to $63,991 (within five years) or $127,982 (within seven years). HUD-conciliated settlements routinely include actual damages, attorney's fees, mandatory training, and required policy changes. Connecticut's state fair-housing agency may pursue parallel penalties under C.G.S. § 46a-64c.

City-Level Eviction Risk in Connecticut

Fair-housing complaint rates correlate with overall tenant-protection enforcement. View landlord risk and tenant-law profile by city:

Bridgeport Stamford New Haven Hartford Waterbury Norwalk

Sources & Methodology

Related Guides for Connecticut Landlords

← Connecticut Eviction Risk Overview Lease Break & Early Termination Squatter Rights & Adverse Possession Just-Cause Eviction Rules Landlord License Requirements Tenant Rights Summary

This guide summarizes Connecticut's fair housing law at C.G.S. § 46a-64c, enforced by the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, alongside the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3604). It is informational only and is not legal advice; consult the CHRO or a licensed Connecticut attorney for guidance on a specific situation. Last reviewed June 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Connecticut landlord refuse a Section 8 voucher?

No. Lawful source of income is a protected class statewide under C.G.S. § 46a-64c, and Public Act 22-118 (2022) confirmed that protection includes Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers. A landlord cannot reject an applicant, post a 'no Section 8' ad, or stop responding simply because the tenant would pay with a voucher. Voucher holders must be screened on the same neutral criteria as everyone else.

How many protected classes does Connecticut recognize?

Connecticut recognizes the seven federal Fair Housing Act classes (race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability) plus seven added by C.G.S. § 46a-64c: sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; marital or civil union status; age; lawful source of income (including Housing Choice Vouchers); veteran status; and ancestry.

Are sexual orientation and gender identity protected in Connecticut housing?

Yes. Both sexual orientation and gender identity or expression are explicitly named as protected classes under C.G.S. § 46a-64c. They are also covered federally under HUD's 2021 post-Bostock interpretation of the Fair Housing Act's prohibition on sex discrimination, so the protection applies on both the state and federal level.

How is fair housing enforced in Connecticut, and what are the penalties?

The Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) takes and investigates housing-discrimination complaints under C.G.S. § 46a-64c. Landlords found in violation can face state remedies, and where the conduct also violates the federal Fair Housing Act, federal civil penalties may apply as well. Both enforcement tracks can proceed at the same time.

Federal authority: 42 U.S.C. § 3604; 24 C.F.R. Part 100. State authority: C.G.S. § 46a-64c. Last updated August 28, 2026. For informational purposes only, not legal advice. Fair-housing determinations are highly fact-specific; consult a licensed Connecticut attorney before making a screening, denial, or eviction decision.