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Fair housing

Housing should be open to everyone. Full stop.

Student Spots is committed to the federal Fair Housing Act and Massachusetts anti-discrimination law (M.G.L. c. 151B). Listings on the Platform may not state or imply preferences based on protected characteristics. We warn listers about risky wording, review reports, and can remove listings that break this rule.

Our commitment

What this means in practice.

  • When a listing is reviewed before publishing, its title and description are checked for common phrases that may state a preference based on a protected class. If something is flagged, the lister sees a warning before they publish.
  • Signed-in users can flag a listing from its page, and anyone can email us. Our team reviews reports and can take a listing down.
  • Hosts may not screen, communicate with, or reject Renters based on a protected class. Hosts found doing so are subject to removal from the Platform.
  • The same fair-housing rules apply on video calls and live video tours as in messages.
  • Search filters are about the home, such as rent, location, beds and furnishing. They are not about who the renter is. When our team writes a Facebook post for a listing, our posting tool runs a fair-housing wording check on it.
  • We keep a record of our moderation decisions so we can review them.
Protected classes

What is not allowed on the Platform.

Listings, messages, video calls, or filtering based on any of these is a violation. The list reflects federal Fair Housing Act and Massachusetts c. 151B (which is broader than federal).

Race
Color
Religion
National origin
Sex
Sexual orientation
Gender identity
Familial status
Disability
Age
Ancestry
Marital status
Veteran / military status
Source of income
Public assistance recipient
Genetic information
For Hosts

What you can and can't write in a listing.

Roommate and shared-room scenarios are nuanced. When in doubt, describe the unit, not the person you're hoping to live with.

Allowed
  • Description of the unit (beds, baths, square footage, amenities)
  • "Furnished" / "unfurnished" and what stays with the unit
  • Proximity to specific campuses or transit (factual)
  • Lease term and dates
  • Smoking / no-smoking policy
  • Pet policy (specific to the unit, not the renter). Service and assistance animals are not pets under fair-housing law.
Not allowed
  • "Female only" or "male only" preferences
  • "Christian household" or any religious preference
  • "No kids" / "ideal for couples without children"
  • Anything implying a preference based on race, ethnicity, or national origin
  • Restrictions on Section 8 / housing vouchers (banned in MA)
  • "Native English speakers preferred" or similar language proxies
Saw something off?

Report a fair-housing violation.

Email us with a screenshot or listing URL and we’ll review within 24 hours. We do not share your name with the person you report, unless the law requires it. If you report a call or a conversation, they may still guess who reported it. Student Spots does not record the audio or video of calls. To report a video call, use Report a problem on the call in your messages, or email us what happened, when, and who was on it.