The Federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) prohibits discrimination against credit applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age (provided the applicant has capacity to contract), because all or part of the applicant's income derives from any public assistance program; or because the applicant has in good faith exercised any right under the Consumer Credit Protection Act.

Federal Trade Commission
Washington, D.C. 20580

The Housing Financial Discrimination Act of 1977 Fair Lending Notice

It is illegal to discriminate in the provision of or the availability of financial assistance because of the consideration of:

1. Trends, characteristics or conditions in the neighborhood or geographic area surrounding a housing accommodation or whether or not such composition is undergoing change, or is expected to undergo change, in appraising a housing accommodation or in determining whether or not, or under what terms and conditions, to provide financial assistance.
2. Race, Color, Religion, Sex, Marital Status, National Origin or Ancestry.

It is illegal to consider racial, ethnic, religious, or national origin composition of a neighborhood or geographic area surrounding a housing accommodation or whether or not such composition is undergoing change, or is expected to undergo change, in appraising a housing accommodation or in determining whether or not, or under what terms and conditions, to provide financial assistance.

These provisions govern financial assistance for the purpose of the purchase, construction, rehabilitation or refinancing of one to four unit family residences occupied by the owner and for the purpose of the home improvement of any one to four unit family residence.