Which federal law finally outlawed the practice of redlining?

• A. Equal Credit Opportunity Act
• B. Fair Housing Act
• C. Civil Rights Act
• D. Housing Act

Answer: (B)

Discrimination in housing transactions and financing is addressed by federal law, and redlining—refusing to lend or insure in certain neighborhoods based on race or ethnicity—was explicitly outlawed by the Fair Housing Act. Passed in 1968 as Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act, it makes it illegal to discriminate in the sale, rental, or financing of housing and to steer or otherwise limit housing opportunities for people because of protected characteristics. This law was designed to promote equal access to housing across all neighborhoods and to curb practices that segregate communities.

While other laws prohibit unfair lending or discrimination in broader contexts—the Equal Credit Opportunity Act focuses on lending fairness in general, and the Civil Rights Act provides broader anti-discrimination protections—the Fair Housing Act directly targets housing discrimination, including redlining, making it the specific statute that ended the practice. The term “Housing Act” can refer to various housing measures, but redlining was outlawed under the Fair Housing Act.