The nation's largest free classified advertising publisher is facing a federal housing discrimination lawsuit. The National Fair Housing Alliance and its member organization, the Fair Housing Council of Central California, filed the suit against American Classifieds LLC and Want Ads of Visalia Inc. in U.S. District Court in Fresno earlier this month - this according to the Fresno Bee and other publications. (Something tells me these ads won't be "free" for long!)

Apparently there are some scurrilous characters placing advertisements in California's Central Valley requesting renters who are "quiet" or tenants who are "female" or have "no pets" and who furthermore have the gall to state that their private property has a (gasp!) "Christian atmosphere." So, did the aggrieved file lawsuits against the "little people" who place such ads? No, of course not. The National Fair Housing Alliance went after the deep pockets in a "discrimination" lawsuit against American Classifieds for not refusing to print the hopes and dreams of the would-be renters. The litigation will apparently soothe the anguished classified readers in Visalia, CA by sending a nice big check to this "fair housing" group.

So be on the lookout in your community because this lawsuit-happy group is just getting started - since 1996, American Classifieds has resolved similar discrimination complaints in Boise, Idaho, Louisville, Kentucky, and Merritt Island, Fla. for publishing "illegal" housing advertisements. Hide your pets, noisy people and religious types or you too could be paying much more for classified ads.