Fair Housing is Everyone's Right!
State Fair Housing Laws
When making any posting on Spaceblender, you must comply with Section 3604(c) of the Federal Fair Housing Act. This law generally prohibits stating, in any notice or ad for the sale or rental of a dwelling, a discriminatory preference based on any of the following protected categories:
- Race
- Color
- Religion
- National Origin
- Handicap / Disability
- Familial Status
The following is a very brief summary of the Fair Housing laws that exist on the state level which protect more categories than federal laws. For a more in depth review of local Fair Housing laws, please consult the links to the actual laws or contact your local Fair Housing center. Please note that not all states have additional Fair Housing laws and that laws can change, so this page may not have the most up-to-date information.
The Fair Housing Act provides additional protections, and limited exceptions, that are explained in publications from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD") and the Department of Justice.
HUD has issued guidance on advertising, including for roommates.
California - Prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income, disability, or age (CA GOVT § 12955).
You may report housing discrimination to HUD at 1-800-669-9777, or to a fair housing advocate near you.
If you encounter a housing posting on Spaceblender that you believe violates the Fair Housing laws, please flag the posting as "SPAM" and the posting will get removed promptly.