US sues Airbnb after host rejected rental to mother with children

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - The U.S. government sued Airbnb on Friday, alleging housing discrimination after a host refused to rent an apartment to a mother with three school-age children.

In a complaint filed in San Francisco federal court, the Department of Justice said the home rental company violated the Fair Housing Act through Jarrod Blake's rejection of a rental for Charisse Ylitalo and her sons, aged 9, 11 and 14.

The complaint said Airbnb lets hosts designate property as unsuitable for children aged 2 to 12, or infants under age 2.

Airbnb declined to comment on the lawsuit, but said it was committed to welcoming people with children, and that it explicitly forbids discrimination based on familial status. The Justice Department declined additional comment.

Ylitalo had sought a three-month rental in late 2020 in Huntsville, Alabama, where she and her husband Christopher had just sold their home, to minimize disruptions for their children before moving to Hawaii, where Christopher had taken a new job.

Blake allegedly told Ylitalo "this apartment is not suitable for kids," prompting her to object.

"My kids are 14, 9 & 11," she said. "I would understand if they were little but all they do is play video games. You do know that it is illegal to discriminate against people with children."

The complaint said Airbnb later told Ylitalo that hosts need not accept children, and "it would be best" if she found another rental.

Ylitalo and her sons ended up an hour's drive from Huntsville, causing disruptions and isolation that led her husband to return to his old job, which paid thousands of dollars less than the Hawaii job, the complaint said.

Airbnb's website says hosts are prohibited from discrimination based on "familial status (having children)."

The San Francisco-based company said hosts may highlight features that could lead guests to decide when properties are unsuitable for children.

Blake, a resident of Santa Monica, California, could not immediately be reached for comment.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and an injunction requiring Airbnb to take steps to thwart further discrimination.

The case is US v Airbnb Inc et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 25-00348.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Matthew Lewis and David Gregorio)