By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – Housing rights advocates in Buffalo say the Craigslist web site has become an outlet for discrimination in housing. Buffalo's Housing Opportunities Made Equal, known as HOME, recently filed two discrimination cases involving ads placed on Craigslist.
The Internet forum is a leader in online advertising for everything from job postings and personals, to merchandise and housing. But recent trends show landlords, or real estate agents, using the site to circumvent laws barring housing discrimination.
Scott Gehl is Executive Director of HOME. He says Internet sites, such as Craigslist, think they are exempt.
Earlier this year, a Williamsville company, M-4 Real Estate settled a lawsuit with HOME, agreeing to abide by fair housing laws. HOME is also party to a national lawsuit that is currently seeking a settlement with the publishers of Craigslist.