Equal Housing covers Roommates too!

What do you think about this issue?

are so many services available on the internet to help you find a roommate, each offering slightly different things. One service might offer to let you write whatever you want, and another service might help you filter out matches based on individual criteria — such as rent amount or location. With any of these roommate services, what might not be clear are your obligations under the Fair Housing Act, a federal law. One of the many things the Fair Housing Act covers is advertisements for housing or services related to the provision of housing.

Question
I’m just looking for a roommate. Does this really apply to me?

Yes. It is unlawful to “make, print, or publish, or cause to be made, printed, or published any notice, statement, or advertisement, with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” 42 U.S.C 3604 Sec. 804 (c)

There are few exemptions from this law. In shared housing where tenants would be sharing a bathroom, kitchen, or other common area, you may express a preference based upon sex – or gender – only.

Question
I would like to make sure my roommate is similar to me. What can I say?

When living space is shared, only the gender of a roommate may be specified. The ad may not specify race, religion, or any other protected class.

Question
What are protected classes?

apartments

Race

Color

Religion

National Origin

Sex, or gender

Handicap / Disability, defined as “physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of [a] person’s major life activities, a record of having such an impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment.”

Familial Status, or presence of anyone under the age of 18 or a pregnant female

State and local laws often extend anti-discrimination protections to other additional categories, such as age, marital status, sexual orientation or military status.

Question
What happens if you violate the Fair Housing Act?

The Fair Housing Act is enforced by a variety of means and organizations. Violators of the Fair Housing Act may face an administrative complaint or a civil lawsuit in which damages may be sought.

Additional resources
for fair housing education:

Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Equal Housing Opportunity – www.hud.gov/offices/fheo

National Fair Housing Alliance – www.nationalfairhousing.org

National Fair Housing Advocate – www.fairhousing.com

Miami Valley Fair Housing Center, including a list of prohibited words and phrases for housing advertisements – www.mvfairhousing.com

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