Jan 10 (Reuters) - Airbnb ( ABNB ) was sued by the U.S.

government on Friday over a host's refusal 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 ( ABNB ) lets hosts designate property as

unsuitable for children aged 2 to 12, or infants under age 2.

Airbnb ( ABNB ) did not immediately respond to requests for 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 ( ABNB ) 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 ( ABNB ) website says the San Francisco-based company

prohibits hosts from discriminating based on "familial status

(having 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 ( ABNB ) to take steps to thwart further discrimination.

The case is US v Airbnb Inc ( ABNB ) et al, U.S. District Court,

Northern District of California, No. 25-00348.