Potential Fair Housing Violation Keywords
Canopy MLS monitors listings for potential fair housing violations. If a potential violation is found, Canopy MLS staff sends a courtesy/educational notice (not a fine) to the listing agent to revise the remarks, and sometimes deletes the problematic words from the listing. We are following the guidelines set by HUD and NAR to keep both our members and our MLS out of trouble. Canopy MLS monitors for inappropriate use of the words or phrases listed below.
| Able bodied | Adult community | Adult living | Adults only |
| African | Agile | Alcoholic, no | Asian |
| Board approval required | Bachelor | Black, no | Catholic |
| Caucasian | Chicano | Children, no | (#of) children |
| Chinese | Christian | Colored | Couple |
| Couples only | Crippled, no | Deaf, no | Employed, must be |
| Empty nester | (Ethnic references) | Handicapped, not for | Healthy only |
| Hispanic | Impaired, no | Independent living | Indian |
| Integrated | Irish | JAARS | Jewish |
| Landlord (description of) | Latino | Married | Mature couple |
| Mature individual | Mature person | Membership approval required | Mentally handicapped, no |
| Mentally ill, no | Mexican-American | Mormon Temple | Mosque |
| (nationality) | Newlyweds | Older person | One child |
| One person | Oriental | Physically fit | Polish |
| Puerto Rican | Retarded, no | Retired | Seasonal worker, no |
| Shrine | Single person | Singles only | Soc. Sec. Ins. (SSI), no |
| Tenant (description of) | Unemployed, no | White | White only |
| YMCA | YWCA |
This list is the product of a conciliation agreement between HUD, the Fair Housing Council of Oregon and the Portland Metropolitan Area Boards and Associations of Realtors® Multiple Listing Service, Inc., and is not the product of a ruling by a court or HUD. HUD has not endorsed this list. Words not appearing on this list could be used to discriminate. Conversely, words appearing on the list will not always violate the law. HUD provides more information about advertisements under the Fair Housing Act in this document: https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/DOC_7784.PDF
Fair Housing and the Code of Ethics
For more information about language you should and should not use in listings and advertising, read VP of Risk Management Michele McCaskill’s article in Realtor® Reflections.