Which is a potential violation of the Fair Housing Act?

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on certain protected characteristics, including race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability. Therefore, the situation described involves an apartment owner who only rents ground-level apartments to tenants of Asian ethnicity, which clearly demonstrates racial discrimination. By limiting rental options based on a tenant's ethnicity, the owner creates an unfair and discriminatory practice that is in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

This act aims to ensure that all individuals have equal access to housing opportunities regardless of their background. Thus, targeting prospective tenants based solely on their ethnicity is a direct infringement upon the fundamental rights protected under the law.

In contrast, the other situations presented might have specific legal justifications or fall under different considerations of housing policies. For instance, charging higher rent could fall under economic considerations rather than direct discrimination based on protected classes. A homeowner's decision based on credit history may be legitimate if based on financial responsibility rather than discriminatory reasons. Lastly, requiring tenant interviews may be a standard practice related to screening applicants and not inherently discriminatory; it depends on how the process is conducted.