Fair Housing: Tennessee

This page is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute, and should not be construed as, legal advice. This page is not intended to provide a mandatory standard of care for the industry. Please consult with local counsel before taking any action based off of the information provided. 

On these pages, you will find information about 1) the protected classes in each state’s fair housing law, 2) protected classes in the cities and counties in the state’s three largest city or metropolitan areas, and 3) protected class information in additional jurisdictions of interest to NAA members. We highlight source of income protections, where applicable, that could substantially impact industry operations. Please see the footnotes. NAA also has resources on the federal fair housing protections that apply nationwide.

We are currently in the process of optimizing NAA’s Fair Housing Protected Class Resources. If you do not see a jurisdiction of interest, please reach out to the NAA Government Affairs Team at [email protected].

Information on this page is current as of September 2022.

Tennessee Protected Classes

(State of Tennessee Code Annotated §§ 4-21-601 through 4-21-603)

  • Race
  • Color
  • National Origin
  • Religion
  • Sex
  • Familial Status
  • Disability
  • Creed

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Knox County Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

City of Knoxville Protected Classes

(City of Knoxville Municipal Code § 15-84[d])

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Blount County Protected Classes

(Blount County Ordinances)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

(Blount County Ordinances)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Maryville Protected Classes

(Maryville Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Shelby County Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes.

City of Memphis Protected Classes

(City of Memphis Municipal Code §10-36-5)​

In addition to enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Age
  • Source of Income1

Collierville Protected Classes

(Collierville Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Germantown Protected Classes

(Germantown Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

1Source of Income means a regular, verifiable income, or its equivalent, from which an individual can pay rental, mortgage or other payments associated with the provision of housing. The term shall specifically include Section 8 vouchers or certificates issued by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development or other similar contractual commitments whereby a third party commits to making all or a portion of rental, mortgage, or other housing-related payments.

Nashville’s government is consolidated with Davidson County.

(Nashville Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Antioch Protected Classes

Antioch is a neighborhood of Nashville

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Rutherford County Commission)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Murfreesboro Protected Classes

(Murfreesboro Municipal Code §§ 11.5-1 et seq.)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Smyrna Protected Classes

(Smyrna Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Williamson County Commissioners)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Brentwood Protected Classes

(Brentwood Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Franklin Protected Classes

(Franklin Municipal Code §§ 21-601 et. seq)

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Age
  • Ancestry
  • Marital Status

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Sumner County Minutes and Agendas)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Hendersonville Protected Classes

(Hendersonville Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

 

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Robertson County Minutes and Agendas)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

White House Protected Classes

(White House Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Hamilton County Resolutions 879-58 Res. 1096-3)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Chattanooga Protected Classes

(Chattanooga Municipal Code § 21-4)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

(Montgomery County Government)

Clarksville Protected Classes

(Clarksville Municipal Code § 5.5-104)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes