ABSTRACT
This chapter covers five issues related to housing for lesbians and gay men: discrimination in the rental and/or purchase of a home, joint home ownership for same-sex couples, retirement and aging issues related to housing, homelessness and young people, and current public policy theory and trends in housing and urban development. Policy makers ought to include stiff penalties on landlords, realtors, and sellers for acts of antigay discrimination in housing, on par with federal fair housing laws protecting racial and ethnic minorities. Many housing discrimination disputes are a consequence of the lack of legal recognition of same-sex marriage. State courts have dealt with instances of sexual orientation discrimination in housing in a variety of ways. The housing markets in the urban areas of both states—particularly Manhattan and San Francisco—are extremely tight. The chapter looks at the housing victories achieved through the courts and the regulatory and legislative processes of these states and cities.
