Roommates.com in
hot water over gay-straight queries

The online apartment-sharing Web site Roommates.com is being accused of discrimination by the San Fernando Valley and San Diego fair housing councils in California, Reuters reports.

The councils allege the site violated the federal Fair Housing Act by inquiring whether users would prefer a gay or straight roommate, without providing other options. A U.S. district court will decide whether the site did anything wrong.

"By categorizing, channeling, and limiting the distribution of users' profiles, Roommate.com provides an additional layer of information that it is 'responsible' at least 'in part' for creating or developing," wrote Judge Alex Kozinksi, a federal appeals court judge who referred the case to the district court. "Whether these actions ultimately violate the FHA is a question the district court must decide in the first instance." (The Advocate)