Fair Housing on GuestResearcher.com
Everyone deserves a fair chance at housing. Listings here must follow Fair Housing law and our community standards.
Protected characteristics
Under the federal Fair Housing Act and many state and local laws, housing advertisements may not express a preference, limitation, or discrimination based on:
- Race
- Color
- Religion
- Sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation)
- National origin
- Familial status (including children)
- Disability
Some state and local laws add further protected categories (for example, source of income or marital status). When in doubt, describe the home, not the person you want living in it.
Write about the home, not the tenant
✅ Describe the place
- “Quiet one-bedroom, walkable to the Metro.”
- “No smoking inside; great for a focused researcher.”
- “Furnished room available June–August.”
🚫 Don’t limit who can apply
- “Students only” / “no families” / “no children.”
- Any preference by religion, nationality, sex, or race.
- “No vouchers” where source-of-income is protected.
Roommate situations
People sharing their own living space have somewhat more latitude in choosing a roommate, but advertisements still shouldn’t broadcast discriminatory preferences. Keep public listing text neutral.
How we review
We screen housing posts for discriminatory language and may add an advisory flag, ask you to revise, or remove a listing. This is a community standard — not legal advice. If you have questions about your obligations as a landlord, consult an attorney or your local fair-housing agency.
See also our Trust & safety guidance and Prohibited listings policy.