So a follow-up on my post about my apartment complex idea. For those of you that missed it, I wondered out loud why there were no apartment complexes that targetted the housing of young professionals (e.g. college grads with jobs) that could help cushion the transition from college life to the real world - in a sense it'd be a "dormitory" for young professionals, but the actual rooms wouldn't be piss-small.

So I took a read over The Fair Housing Act and realized that had I posted that entry as a real business plan, I'd probably be getting sued right now.

The issue there is I would be probably be violating the "familial" status clause since we really don't want little kids running around.

What caught my eye though, was this Section 803(b):

(1) any single-family house sold or rented by an owner: Provided, That such private individual owner does not own more than three such single-family houses at any one time: Provided further, That in the case of the sale of any such single-family house by a private individual owner not residing in such house at the time of such sale or who was not the most recent resident of such house prior to such sale, the exemption granted by this subsection shall apply only with respect to one such sale within any twenty-four month period: Provided further, That such bona fide private individual owner does not own any interest in, nor is there owned or reserved on his behalf, under any express or voluntary agreement, title to or any right to all or a portion of the proceeds from the sale or rental of, more than three such single-family houses at any one time: Provided further, That after December 31, 1969, the sale or rental of any such single-family house shall be excepted from the application of this subchapter only if such house is sold or rented (A) without the use in any manner of the sales or rental facilities or the sales or rental services of any real estate broker, agent, or salesman, or of such facilities or services of any person in the business of selling or renting dwellings, or of any employee or agent of any such broker, agent, salesman, or person and (B) without the publication, posting or mailing, after notice, of any advertisement or written notice in violation of section 804(c) of this title; but nothing in this proviso shall prohibit the use of attorneys, escrow agents, abstractors, title companies, and other such professional assistance as necessary to perfect or transfer the title, or

(2)rooms or units in dwellings containing living quarters occupied or intended to be occupied by no more than four families living independently of each other, if the owner actually maintains and occupies one of such living quarters as his residence.

I might be mis-reading this (I really have no patience for legalese), but it seems that if I own four "single-family houses", I can rent three of them while discriminating, except I still cannot violate 804(c), which says:

(c) To make, print, or publish, or cause to be made, printed, or published any notice, statement, or advertisement, with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.

So basically if I own four units and I live in one, I can rent the other three in a discriminatory manner, but I can't advertise that I'm doing that. WTF? The fact that I can rent to whomever I want would imply that the activity is legal, but the advertising of said legal activity is illegal?

The law makes no sense.