Which action is permissible under the law regarding tenant selection?

Refusing to rent to a person because he is a social drinker is permissible under the law because it does not fall under the categories of discrimination that are protected by fair housing laws. The law prohibits discrimination based on specific characteristics such as race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability. Being a social drinker is not one of these protected categories, so landlords are allowed to make decisions based on a tenant's lifestyle choices, provided that those decisions do not violate any local or state laws regarding housing.

In contrast, other options involve forms of discrimination that are illegal. For instance, refusing to rent to a family with children can be discriminatory based on familial status, which is protected under fair housing laws. Refusing to rent to someone with a prior eviction history might be seen as a legitimate business decision, but landlords must be careful about how they apply such criteria to avoid inadvertently discriminating against protected classes. Lastly, refusing to rent based on race is a clear violation of fair housing laws, which prohibit any form of racial discrimination in housing practices. Therefore, the correct answer demonstrates permissible landlord discretion not linked to protected status.