Foundational pillar / check fair-housing-language-review
Preference or limitation language in listing copy
Screens real-estate copy for explicit preference or limitation phrases, such as "adults only" or "no children", that the Fair Housing Act bars in advertising.
By Shimon Carroll, Founder, SEO for AI Agents · Last updated
What this check measures
A narrow list of explicit phrases that state a preference about who may live in a home (familial status, religion, disability, national origin), quoted as evidence. Descriptions of the property itself are not flagged.
Why it matters
42 U.S.C. 3604(c) makes it unlawful to publish a housing advertisement that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on a protected class. Such language is a legal risk and, in AI answers, can be repeated out of context.
How we score it
A review prompt, not a legal verdict. Runs only on residential real estate audits. When the cue is missing the finding is medium severity at low confidence, which lowers the foundational pillar by about 1.2 points. A pass is informational and never scores. Each finding names who should review it, quotes what we saw on the page, and cites the primary source. Where the page shows a US address we name the inferred state; otherwise the wording is state-agnostic.
Confidence-flag rules
LOW: this is a narrow phrase screen. It catches explicit wording only, so a pass does not mean the copy was reviewed, and a flag needs a human read in context.
Common mistakes
- Describing ideal residents ("perfect for a couple") instead of the property.
- Copying listing language from older templates.
- Assuming a phrase screen replaces a broker review.
How to fix it
Describe the property, not who should live there. Rewrite any flagged phrase and have your managing broker review listing copy before it goes live.
Primary sources
- 42 U.S.C. 3604, Discrimination in the sale or rental of housing
Legal Information Institute (U.S. Code)
- HUD Handbook 4310.5 REV-2, Chapter 9 (Equal Housing Opportunity logotype, statement or slogan)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Changelog
- · New. This rule used to live only in the vertical configuration and never ran. It is now a registered review check with a cited primary source, framed as a prompt to review with a professional rather than a pass or fail legal verdict.