A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a legal challenge against city laws governing rental housing in single-family neighborhoods.

The Lawrence City Commission in 2001 passed an ordinance prohibiting more than three unrelated roommates in such housing, and started a rental licensing and inspection program to enforce the new law.

In 2003, a coalition of landlords and tenants sued the city in federal court, saying the laws violated the U.S. Constitution.

U.S. District Judge Kathryn Vratil disagreed in her ruling Tuesday, but gave the plaintiffs until June 18 to make new arguments in the case.