This year at the National Association of Realtors Conference in New Orleans, there will be a historic vote to add language about sexual orientation to Article 10 of the Realtor Code of Ethics. For the change to take effect, the vote must be approved by NAR’s Delegate Body, which meets Nov. 8 at the REALTORS® Conference & Expo in New Orleans.

If the Delegate Body passes the change, Article 10 will read:

REALTORS® shall not deny equal professional service to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, or sexual orientation.

REALTORS® shall not be parties to any plan or agreement to discriminate against a person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, or sexual orientation.

REALTORS® in their real estate employment practices shall not discriminate against any person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, or sexual orientation.

The board of directors’ vote puts NAR one step ahead of Congress, which is considering a change to the Fair Housing Act. The Fair and Inclusive Housing Rights Act of 2010 would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. It would be the first change to the law since 1988, when handicap and familial status were added as protected classes.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 180 people, 103 households, and 52 families residing in the city. The population density was 301.7 people per square mile (115.8/km²). There were 150 housing units at an average density of 251.4/sq mi (96.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.11% White, 3.33% Native American, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.56% of the population.

There were 103 households out of which 9.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.5% were non-families. 48.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 35.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.75 and the average family size was 2.46.

In the city the population was spread out with 11.7% under the age of 18, 3.9% from 18 to 24, 11.7% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 48.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 64 years. For every 100 females there were 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,818, and the median income for a family was $39,583. Males had a median income of $20,625 versus $16,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,524. None of the families and 5.3% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 6.2% of those over 64.