Final answer:
The Fair Housing Act protects individuals from housing discrimination, including elderly people, by prohibiting discrimination based on race, gender, religion, national origin, disability, and familial status.
Step-by-step explanation:
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the housing market on the basis of race, gender, religion, national origin, disability, and familial status. This law is part of a broader effort to ensure equal opportunities in housing and to combat discriminatory practices. So among the options provided, the closest answer would be (D) elderly people, since age is an aspect closely associated with elderly individuals, and discrimination against them in housing would be prohibited under the Act's protections for disability and potentially other provisions.