Fair housing
Equal Housing Opportunity
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. (The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's equal housing opportunity statement.)
Who is protected
The federal Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to discriminate in the sale or rental of housing, and to publish any advertisement that shows a preference, limitation or discrimination, because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status (families with children under 18, and pregnancy) or national origin. Ohio law also protects ancestry and military status. Some cities and counties protect more, such as source of income.
The check every listing passes
Each time a listing is saved or published, Lintel reads its headline, description, contact name and brokerage and compares them with phrase rules based on HUD's advertising guidance. Each finding names the protected class, quotes the words, explains the problem and suggests other wording.
- Must change: wording that states a preference or exclusion, such as "adults only", "no kids", "perfect for a couple", "couples only", "21 and over", "Christian home", "English speakers only", "male only", "no wheelchairs", "no service animals" or "no military". The listing cannot be published until it is reworded.
- Check this: wording that is lawful only in some cases, such as "55 and older" (only for qualifying housing for older persons), "no Section 8" (unlawful where source of income is protected) or "no felons" (blanket bans can be discriminatory). The lister must confirm the wording is lawful before publishing.
- Note: for example "no pets" is fine, but assistance animals are not pets.
The same check also refuses the marks of common scams, such as payment by wire transfer, gift cards or crypto, or a deposit before a viewing.
Describing the property is always fine: "family room", "master bedroom", "walk-in closet", "two blocks from St. Mary's church", "wheelchair ramp", "third-floor walk-up". The check has 31 rules today; it helps, but it is not legal advice, and listers remain responsible for what they publish.
If you meet discrimination
- HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development): 1-800-669-9777, or hud.gov/fairhousing.
- Ohio Civil Rights Commission: 1-888-278-7101, or civ.ohio.gov.
- On Lintel: use "Report this listing" on the listing page and choose "Discriminatory wording". Reports of discriminatory wording from three different networks hide a listing at once, until WeldonPC reviews it.