What You Need to Know about Sexual Harassment
July 21, 2026
Identifying Sexual Harassment in Housing
Knowing how to identify sexual harassment can help you recognize when your rights have been violated. Sexual harassment generally takes two main forms:
1. Quid Pro Quo ("This for That")
This occurs when a housing benefit is made conditional on sexual favors—a direct abuse of power. Examples include:
- Offering lower rent, waiving a deposit, or approving an application in exchange for dates or sexual advances.
- Conditioning repairs, maintenance, or basic services on sexual favors.
- Threatening eviction, raising rent, or retaliating against tenants who refuse sexual demands.
2. Hostile Housing Environment
You do not have to be asked for sexual favors to experience illegal harassment. A hostile environment is created when unwelcome behavior makes your home feel unsafe, uncomfortable, or unwelcoming. Examples include:
- Unwanted touching, grabbing, or romantic and sexual advances.
- Unwelcome flirting, sexual jokes, or comments—whether directed specifically at you or not.
- Calling or texting at inappropriate hours, or entering your home without permission.
- Disruptive personal behavior by a housing provider on the property that creates a stressful or chaotic environment for tenants.
Understanding the Power Dynamic
Many people are afraid to report harassment because they are scared of retaliation or afraid they are going to lose their housing. Others worry that they won't be believed because they feel like maybe they didn't fight back hard enough.
It is vital to understand how these dynamics play out:
- Compliance Doesn't Mean You Weren't Harassed: Even if you felt scared, stayed quiet, or didn't directly resist, that does not mean you haven't been subjected to unlawful sexual harassment. When someone holds power over your housing, staying silent or feeling unable to react is a natural response to a scary situation.
- The Boundaries of "Friendly" Relationships: Sometimes, a maintenance person or housing provider might befriend a tenant first. However, there is still a clear power dynamic in place. If that person begins engaging in behavior that is unwanted, it can be very difficult to resist or scary to complain because of their power over your housing. They may also have keys to enter your home.
Responsibility of Landlords & Property Owners
The law covers landlords, property managers, leasing agents, maintenance workers, and contractors. Additionally, property managers and owners have a responsibility to take action if they become aware of harassing behavior affecting a tenant—whether that harassment is coming from a maintenance worker, contractor, or another tenant.
Examples in our Community
These recent incidents show us that sexual harassment is happening in our community, as well as the variety of different forms it can take:
- Westland: A local landlord managing multiple properties was recently accused in a Department of Justice lawsuit of using his position to coerce female tenants, making unwanted advances, withholding necessary repairs, and threatening eviction if they refused his demands. Source.
- Detroit: In another situation, a local housing provider created an uncomfortable and hostile living environment for tenants through unwanted advances, inappropriate late-night calls, and loud, disruptive altercations with romantic partners on the property. Source.
What to Do If You Are Experiencing Harassment
If you are dealing with unwanted behavior connected to your housing, keeping track of what is happening can help protect your rights:
- Take Notes: Write down dates, times, and details of what happened or what was said.
- Keep Evidence: Save text messages, emails, voicemails, or notes.
- Reach Out Early: Under many fair housing laws, there are time limitations on filing complaints or taking legal action, so reaching out as soon as possible gives you the most options.
We Are Here to Help

At the Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit, we can help you understand your rights, explore your options confidentially, and take action. We perform this service free of charge.
What Every Tenant Should Know
Fifth annual event rallies almost two hundred supporters for equal housing opportunity.
Lisa joined the Center after nearly 30 years of experience as a wheelchair user and close to 17 years advocating for the rights of people with disabilities. In 2008, Lisa founded Warriors on Wheels of Metropolitan Detroit (“WOW”) and currently serves as its Executive Director and CEO. Through WOW, Lisa focuses on disability rights, accessibility, and community engagement. In these efforts, Lisa not only seeks to meet the critical needs for civic access and passageways, affordable housing units, and safe, reliable transportation, but strives to transform these accessibility points into cohesive design visions that impact communities for a better tomorrow. As Lisa puts it, she “makes it a priority to impact the urban communities in the cities of Detroit, Highland Park, Hamtramck, and Dearborn on compliance with the ADA and other laws, not just technically, but addressing human spirit, morals, and values.” Lisa’s civic involvement and service are broad and varied, ranging from her service on the State of Michigan’s Barrier Free Design Board for Accessibility to her services on the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan and the City of Detroit’s Human Rights Commission. In recent years, 50-60% or more of the Center’s complaints involve claims of discrimination against persons with disabilities. The Center has assisted and initiated numerous enforcement actions involving disability discrimination. The Center’s Board and Staff welcome the valuable perspective and expertise that Lisa will bring as a new Board member.
Our friends at the Grosse Pointe Board of Realtors (GPBR) have invited everyone to join them at a chili cookoff event on October 15, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at The Rivers of Grosse Pointe, 900 Cook Rd, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236 . The GPBR has asked the Center to take a few minutes to explain why fair housing remains so important today. The competition will be fierce. The chili promises to be insanely good. This should be a lot of fun. Please take a short lunch break from your busy schedule to join us.
Our lack of understanding impacts our ability to address the problem of homelessness
Question No. 1: As of 2021, what percent of the U.S. population are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing? 1.6% 2.6% 3.6% 4.6% 5.6% Question No. 2: How many deaf people live in the U.S. as of 2021? 3 million 5 million 7 million 9 million 11 million Question No. 3: Which of the following statements are false? A. Deaf persons do not want to speak or cannot speak. B. Every Deaf person knows ASL. C. ASL is English translated into signs. D. ASL is universal. E. ASL interpreters merely translate words. F. ASL is inferior to spoken language. G. Lip reading is a reliable or effective form of communication. H. ASL interpreters are unnecessary if a Deaf individual may write back and forth. Question No. 4: What federal and state laws require ASL services? Are you aware of the requirement of a written ASL policy and, if so, what a compliant policy looks like? If these questions are difficult, please review our PowerPoint: American Sign Language (ASL) & Fair Housing Requirements and the Sample ASL Nondiscrimination Policies (in Word format) available out our Services & Resources page. ________________________________ Answers: Question No. 1: 3.6% Question No. 2: 11 million Question No. 3: All of the statements are false. Question No. 4: What federal and state laws require ASL services? Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (commonly known as the Affordable Care Act or “ACA”); Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988; and many state civil rights statutes .
A prior post summarized the allegations in a federal court case that was filed after numerous incidents of alleged racial harassment that drove a Black family their Grosse Point Park home. Black Woman and Her Daughter Sue Former White Neighbor for KKK Flag Display and Other Threats . On March 21, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Linda V. Parker, after carefully reviewing the allegations in the complaint and applicable law, entered an Opinion and Order Denying Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss. Judge Parker found that the complaint sufficiently alleged racial animus in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1982. The facts are deplorable, as those who read the decision will no doubt notice, and embarrassing to our community. Congratulations to the students attorneys from the U of M Law School’s Civil Rights Litigation Initiative (CRLI) handling the litigation, under the fine leadership of long-time fair housing attorney and now U of M Law School Professor Mike Steinberg . Opinion and Order Denying Motion to Dismiss, Dinges v. Wilde, No. 23-12885 (E.D. Mich. Mar. 21, 2025)
University of Michigan Law School Professor Michelle Adams ’ research interests include race discrimination, school desegregation, affirmative action, and housing law. Two of Professor Adams’ students, Michelle Landry and Victoria Pedri (pictured above) from Professor Adams’ Race, Law, and History course, developed a “ Detroit School Integration Timeline ”. The timeline traces the history from Detroit’s establishment of its first “colored school”, to the Dred Scott decision, the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1875, the Great Migration, racially restrictive covenants, redlining, the Birwood (Eight Mile) Wall, white flight, the enactment of the Fair Housing Act, the Milliken v. Bradley decision and efforts to desegregate Detroit schools, through the recent decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. The timeline is informative, user-friendly and includes many helpful videos. Congratulations to Michelle and Victoria for creating this amazing resource. Detroit School Integration Timeline Legal History Project: Detroit, Michigan (Law students Michelle Landry and Victoria Pedri briefly introduce themselves and thank viewers for checking out their timeline project)
The Livonia Housing Commission has announced the opening of its Housing Choice Voucher (HVC) waiting list. To apply successfully, you need to provide the Commission with the following information: The first and last names of all members of your household The Social security numbers and birthdates of all members of your household. Total gross annual income of everyone in your household. This includes wages, child support, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), General Assistance and Unemployment Income. A valid mailing address and email address. Only one application is permitted per household. Accurate information must be submitted in order to contact applicants if they are selected in the lottery. How to Apply Use this link to start the application process. At the bottom of the page, click Get Started . Persons with disabilities who require accommodations with the online waitlist application, may call the Livonia Housing Commission at (734) 634-0294 or send an email to kwesley@livonia.gov . (If you do not have the social security numbers, please contact the Fair Housing Center by phone at 313-579-3247 or by email to info@fairhousingdetroit.org.)
Our down payment program has been a great success. A total of 11 families are now owners of new homes: 1. Nen Detroit $1,545 2. Shi'Toya Detroit $5,268 3. Alma Detroit $2,056 4. Danielle Detroit $4,494 5. Demetrius Detroit $5,048 6. Danyelle Warren $9,845 7. Crystal Detroit $10,000 8. Michael Detroit $4,293 9. Demario & Lavontae Detroit $9,136 10. Sharmika Detroit $8,380 11. Crystal Detroit $5,400