Papers must publish fair-housing notices

Under a 2003 modification of the Virginia fair-housing regulation 18 VAC 135-50-110, newspapers are now required to publish a fair-housing publisher's notice. Previously, the notice was used at the newspaper's discretion.

Section 135.50.110.D now reads:

All publishers shall publish at the beginning of the real estate section advertising section a notice such as appearing in Table III, Appendix I to 24 CFR Part 109, Ch. 1 (-1-00 edition). The notice shall include a statement regarding the coverage of any local fair housing or human rights ordinance prohibiting discrimination in the sale, rental or financing of dwellings.

The state Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation suggests the following wording for fair-housing notices that satisifies the law:

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia's policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap.

All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia's fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise 'any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.' This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis.

For more information or to file a housing complaint, call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-8530; toll-free call (888) 551-3247. For the hearing-impaired, call (804) 367-9753. E-mail fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov. Web site: www.fairhousing.vipnet.org.