Is an owner of five single-family houses covered by the Fair Housing Act?

The Fair Housing Act provides protection against discrimination in housing-related activities. It applies to most housing transactions and prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability. The Act covers individuals and entities that own or manage housing.

An owner of five single-family houses is indeed covered by the Fair Housing Act because they engage in residential rental activities that fall under the purview of the legislation. The Act's protections extend to those who own rental houses, regardless of the number of units they manage.

This does not depend on the owner living on the property or the requirement of actively managing those properties. The key point is that owning and renting out multiple single-family homes qualifies as engaging in housing activities, thus ensuring the owner is covered by the Fair Housing Act.