Phrases that will get a housing listing removed
Anything that states who is or is not wanted. Below are the phrasings that get a property listing removed, and what to write instead. Every replacement says the same practical thing about the property while saying nothing about the people.
Jinu runs an automated fair housing check on every property listing when it is published and again when the title or description is edited, and a match holds the listing for a person to look at. That check catches the blunt phrasings and it is not a legal clearance. Softer versions of the same preference get through it and are still unlawful, and they are still removed when a person reads them. Write to the rule, not to the filter.
Families and children
Familial status is protected, and this is the one that catches ordinary landlords who meant no harm. "Adults only", "no kids", "no children", "no families", "singles only", "couples only", "childless", "no minors", "mature tenants only" and "quiet professional household" all express the same unlawful preference.
Write instead: the number of bedrooms, the square footage, the occupancy limit set by local code, "one bedroom, suitable for up to 2 occupants", or the quiet hours in the lease. State the property's capacity, not the family type you would prefer.
The one exception is genuine housing for older persons, which is a narrow legal category with registration requirements. If you do not know whether your building qualifies, it does not.
Disability
"No wheelchairs", "not suitable for disabled", "able-bodied only", "no service animals", "must be able to manage stairs".
Write instead: describe the building. "Second floor, no elevator, 14 stairs from the entrance" is a fact, it is useful, and it lets the reader decide. Never turn it into a rule about who may apply.
Race, color and national origin
"Whites only", "no Blacks", "no Asians", "no Hispanics", "no Latinos", "no minorities", "caucasian preferred", "no foreigners", "no immigrants", "Americans only", "US citizens only", "English speaking only".
There is no lawful rewrite of these. Delete them. If you need to state a lease requirement, state the requirement itself: "references required", "credit check required", "proof of income required", applied to everybody the same way.
Religion
"Christian household", "Muslim only", "Jewish preferred", "no atheists", "church nearby, ideal for a Christian family".
Write instead: name a landmark as a landmark. "Two blocks from Saint Mary's" locates the property. "Ideal for a Christian family" advertises a preference.
Sex, gender and sexual orientation
"Females only", "men only", "no gays", "no transgender", "single female preferred".
A genuinely shared living space where you rent a room in your own home is treated differently in some jurisdictions, and a room in a shared house is not the same as a whole unit. That is a narrow exception, it varies by state and city, and advertising it publicly is where people get caught. Check your local rule before you write it into a public listing.
Source of income
"No Section 8", "no housing vouchers", "no government assistance".
Write instead: state the rent and the income standard you apply to every applicant, for example "monthly income of 3x rent required, all sources considered". Refusing vouchers outright is unlawful in a growing number of states and cities.
A test you can apply yourself
Read your listing back and mark every sentence as being about the property or about the people. Sentences about the property stay. Sentences about the people need to become a fact, a lease term or a legal requirement, applied to everybody, or they need to go.