Fair Housing phrase guide / Disability

Disability and accessibility words in real estate listings

Every disability phrase ListingLint checks, from what to avoid to what's fine, with the reason for each. 10 avoid, 3 caution, 2 depends, 2 minor, 3 ok.

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3 phrases to look at

Avoid “no wheelchairs”
An explicit exclusion based on disability. HUD's 1995 memo uses "no wheelchairs" as its example of what not to say.
Avoid “not suitable for wheelchairs”
Says who the home is NOT for based on disability. Describe the physical feature (a fourth-floor walk-up, steep stairs) instead. HUD's memo says property descriptions like that are fine.
Avoid “able-bodied”
Requires a physical ability, which is an indication of discrimination based on disability. Every cited list puts "able-bodied" and "physically fit only" on the avoid side.

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What the law covers here

The federal statute uses the word "handicap" and defines it as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a record of one, or being regarded as having one. Describing accessibility features of the property is generally fine. Describing which people can or can't live there is what gets flagged.

Avoid

Avoid means an explicit preference or limitation, or a phrase on the avoid side of the cited word lists. This is the risk end of the scale, not a style choice.

no wheelchairs Avoid
An explicit exclusion based on disability. HUD's 1995 memo uses "no wheelchairs" as its example of what not to say.
not suitable for wheelchairs Avoid
Says who the home is NOT for based on disability. Describe the physical feature (a fourth-floor walk-up, steep stairs) instead. HUD's memo says property descriptions like that are fine.
able-bodied only Avoid
Requires a physical ability, which is an indication of discrimination based on disability. Every cited list puts "able-bodied" and "physically fit only" on the avoid side.
crippled Avoid
Excludes or describes people by disability. These terms are on the avoid side of every cited list.
no hiv Avoid
HIV/AIDS is a disability under the Act. Any reference to it in an ad is on the avoid lists.
no group homes Avoid
Group homes typically house people with disabilities, so excluding them in an ad is on the avoid lists.
non-drinkers only Avoid
Describes or excludes people (recovering alcoholics and addicts can be protected as people with disabilities). HUD's memo says describing required conduct ("non-smoking", "sober") is fine. Describing the people is not.
no service animals Avoid
Assistance animals are a disability accommodation, not pets. Excluding them in an ad is an explicit disability limitation.
must be able to live independently Avoid
Requiring residents to live independently is a limitation based on disability.
no canes Avoid
Excluding mobility aids is an explicit exclusion based on disability, the same as "no wheelchairs".

Caution

Caution means the phrase is on the caution side of the cited lists, or describes people in a way that usually reads as a preference. Many agents still use some of these, but describing the property instead is the safer move.

agile Caution
"Agile" describes the person, not the property, and it's on all three cited avoid lists.
non-smokers only Caution
The lists put "non-smokers" on the avoid side but "smoking, no" on the acceptable side. HUD's memo allows describing conduct ("non-smoking"). Describe the rule, not the people.
disabled people Caution
Describes people by disability. Describe the accessible features of the property instead.

Depends

Depends means it's fine or not depending on how it's used. Read the reason, then decide for your sentence.

walking distance Depends
On the caution side of LIBOR, NYPA and CRMLS. It's subjective and can read as excluding people who don't walk. HUD's memo is fine with neighborhood descriptions like "walk to bus-stop", so name the distance (0.4 mi) or say "convenient to" (NYPA and CRMLS acceptable).
no pets Depends
Usually fine as a property rule, but it's on LIBOR's caution list because assistance animals are not pets and must be considered as accommodations. For rentals, many agents add a line saying so.

Minor

Minor means it's usually fine and worth a second look. Treat it as a style question more than a legal one.

handicap Minor
"Handicap" is on the caution lists. "Accessible" is the modern, neutral word, and accessibility features are lawful to describe.
ideal for active buyers Minor
"Active" is on all three cited caution lists when it describes the buyer. Describe the amenity (trails, gym, courts).

OK

OK means a cited source treats it as acceptable. Any alternative shown is a house-style preference some offices or MLSs ask for, not a legal requirement.

wheelchair accessible OK
HUD's memo says descriptions of accessibility features are lawful, and its example is "wheelchair ramp". "Wheelchair accessible" and "handicap accessible" are on the NYPA/CRMLS acceptable lists.
walk-in closet OK
Per HUD's memo, property descriptions (great view, fourth-floor walk-up, walk-in closets), facilities (jogging trails), neighborhoods (walk to bus-stop) and required conduct (non-smoking, sober) don't violate the Act.
assistance animals welcome OK
"Assistance animals only" is on the NYPA and CRMLS acceptable lists.

Sources

The law behind the lists

The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to publish a housing ad that indicates a preference, limitation or discrimination based on a protected class, and HUD's advertising regulation spells out how that applies to ads. The word lists above are how boards and MLSs put that into practice.

About the 1995 HUD memo

HUD no longer posts the 1995 memo on its website. Oregon REALTORS reported in April 2026 that HUD removed it without notice, and HUD withdrew its April 2024 digital-advertising guidance in September 2025. The Fair Housing Act and HUD's advertising regulation (24 CFR § 100.75) didn't change. Boards and MLS word lists still lean on the memo, which is why it's still cited here, as history and as the clearest explanation of how ads are read.

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Not legal advice. Word lists can't judge context, and laws differ by state and city, with some protecting more classes than federal law does. If you're unsure about a listing, ask your broker or a fair housing attorney. ListingLint rules v2026.10.2.