Tenant Discrimination (House Hacking)

[Blake Reynolds]

If I am trying to rent out 2 spare bedrooms in a property that I own and live in can I be more selective as to which tenants I select since I also live in the house? Not that I would actually discriminate due to race/color/religion etc. but could I use personality/age as a reason not to accept someone who applies for one of my bedrooms. 

I want to be careful not to get in any hot water when declining prospective applicants. TIA.

[Kyle Hipp]

As others have said, if it is a roommate situation, you are exempt from fair housing laws. You can choose not to rent to someone because they are a woman, or gay, or Christian, handicapped, or white. In my state, they just had a case to to federal court because a guy kicked out a roommate who was black after his ex-wife asked him to during their split. He told the tenant he was out because he was black and it made her uncomfortable. His actions were deemed legal