Which statement best aligns with HUD guidelines for nondiscriminatory advertising language?

Which statement best aligns with HUD guidelines for nondiscriminatory advertising language?

• A. Male or female roommate wanted
• B. Female seeking female roommate
• C. Family with children welcome
• D. Senior citizens preferred

Answer: (B)

The essential idea is how the Fair Housing Act handles what you can say in ads when a property is owner-occupied. In a private residence that the owner lives in and shares with others (up to four units), there is a narrow exemption that allows the owner to specify the sex of a potential roommate. That means language targeting a specific sex can be permissible in that limited context. So, “Female seeking female roommate” fits this scenario: it signals a gender-targeted match in an owner-occupied setting, which HUD allows under the exemption. The other statements imply preferences based on protected characteristics in broader advertising (familial status or age) or without a narrowly permitted exception, so they aren’t aligned with HUD rules as clearly.

The essential idea is how the Fair Housing Act handles what you can say in ads when a property is owner-occupied. In a private residence that the owner lives in and shares with others (up to four units), there is a narrow exemption that allows the owner to specify the sex of a potential roommate. That means language targeting a specific sex can be permissible in that limited context.

So, “Female seeking female roommate” fits this scenario: it signals a gender-targeted match in an owner-occupied setting, which HUD allows under the exemption. The other statements imply preferences based on protected characteristics in broader advertising (familial status or age) or without a narrowly permitted exception, so they aren’t aligned with HUD rules as clearly.