Prior to which act was there no legal protection for women facing sexual harassment from landlords and sellers?

The correct answer is the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. This act is significant because it expanded the protections against discrimination in housing beyond race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, which were covered under the Fair Housing Act of 1968. Prior to the 1974 Act, women did not have specific legal recourse against sexual harassment in housing situations. The inclusion of sex as a protected category in the 1974 amendment provided women the legal tools necessary to combat discrimination and harassment by landlords and sellers.

In contrast, the Fair Housing Act of 1968 primarily addressed issues related to racial discrimination, and while it set important precedents, it did not encompass the protections needed for sexual harassment. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act is focused on credit discrimination, and the Americans with Disabilities Act primarily addresses disability rights, so these do not pertain to the specific issue of sexual harassment in housing. Hence, the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 is the turning point that explicitly provided protection against such forms of discrimination, solidifying a woman's right to equal treatment in housing.