D.C. ban on advertising preference for political affiliation in a roommate

[DavidEBernstein at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/20/2004 5:49:51 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
VOLOKH at law.ucla.edu writes:
    By the way, I've just found the complaint in Fair Housing
Council of Greater Washington v. Washington City Paper (May 27, 1998).
It complained, among other things, about these ads:

NS GF seeks same to share home . . . .  [Sexual orientation preference]
Friendship Heights/Tenleytown: room in house near Metros, shopping.
Prefer young professional . . . .  [Age]
HU and UDC students: clean furnished room, . . . sep. BA, shared kitchen
. . . .  [Matriculation]
Dupont East.  NS, prof M/F for 1BR in 3BR TH. . . .  No Republicans.
[Political affiliation]

    A complaint with HUD, under federal law, filed by the Fair
Housing Council likewise complained about these:

Women of color group house seeks new member. . . .  [Race]
Prof. SBF w/s small child ISO prof./student F to share house. . . .
[Race, on the theory that even mentioning the race of the searcher
implies preference in the person being searched for.]
Jewish cooperative home starting in June.  We hope to share
semi-vegetarian meals, yoga, meditation and making shabbat.  [Religion]
. . .  Christian female looking for female to share luxurious 2BR, 2BA
condo . . . .  [Religion]
M Roommate needed to share 5BR house near downtown and NIH.  Must like
Irishmen.  [National origin]
Japanese feminist seeks rommate . . . .  Require responsible, healthy,
spiritual, speaks good English.  Gay M's welcome.  [National origin]
F share 3-level TH. . . .  No pets/kids.  [Familial status]

    I have no idea what finally happened with this; I once called
the Council to ask, but they never got back to me.

    Eugene
One thing that happened is that if you look at the Washington City Paper, the 
subject of the Complaint, they no longer carry such "discriminatory" ads.
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