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(a) Nothing in this chapter shall bar any religious or denominational institution or organization, or any nonprofit charitable or educational organization that is operated, supervised or controlled by or in connection with a religious organization, from limiting the sale, rental or occupancy of dwellings that it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose to persons of the same religion or from giving a preference in the sale, rental or occupancy of such a dwelling to persons of the same religion, unless membership in the religion is restricted on account of race, color or national origin. Nothing in this section shall bar any bona fide private or fraternal organization which, incidental to its primary purpose, owns or operates lodging for other than a commercial purpose, from limiting the rental or occupancy of the lodgings to its members or from giving preference to its members.
(b) Nothing in this chapter shall apply to rooms or units in dwellings containing living quarters occupied or intended to be occupied by no more than two families living independently of each other, if the owner actually maintains and occupies one of such living quarters as his or her residence.
(c) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require any person selling or renting dwellings to modify such dwellings in any way or to exercise a higher degree of care for a person having a handicap, nor shall anything in this chapter be construed to relieve any handicapped person of any obligation generally imposed on all persons regardless of handicap in a written lease, rental agreement or contract or purchase of sale or to forbid distinctions based on the inability to fulfill the terms and conditions, including financial obligations, of the lease, agreement or contract.
(Ord. 141-1992. Passed 6-1-92.)
No person who receives or expects to receive pecuniary gain from the sale or rental of housing accommodations shall:
(a) Influence or attempt to influence any other person who purports or represents himself or herself to be a prospective purchaser, occupant or tenant of housing accommodations by referring to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, handicap, ancestry, familial status, military status, sexual orientation or gender identity of occupants or prospective occupants of other housing accommodations in the neighborhood.
(b) Influence or attempt to influence, by any words, acts or failure to act, any person who purports or represents himself or herself to be a prospective seller, purchaser, occupant, landlord or tenant of housing accommodations, in connection with the sale or rental of housing accommodations, so as to promote or tend to promote the continuance or maintenance of segregated housing or so as to retard, obstruct or discourage integrated housing on or in any street, block or neighborhood.
(c) Discriminate against any person who purports or represents himself or herself to be a prospective seller, purchaser, occupant, landlord or tenant of housing accommodations by any influence, suggestion, act or failure to act or accord any differential treatment among such persons, in connection with the sale or rental of housing accommodations or in the furnishing of information, services or facilities relative thereto, because of the race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, handicap, national origin, familial status, military status, sexual orientation or gender identity of any person.
(Ord. 141-1992. Passed 6-1-92; Ord. 103-1998. Passed 5-4-98. Eff. 6-4-98; Ord. 41-2013. Passed 4-15-13.)
(a) No person, whether or not acting under color of law, shall by force or threat of force, willfully intimidate or interfere with or attempt to intimidate or interfere with:
(1) Any person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, ancestry, familial status, military status, sexual orientation or gender identity and because that person is or has been selling, purchasing, renting, financing, occupying, contracting or negotiating for the sale, purchase, rental, financing or occupation of any dwelling or applying for or participating in any service, organization or facility relating to the business of selling or renting housing accommodations;
(2) Any person because that person is or has been or in order to intimidate that person or any other person or any class of persons from:
A. Participating without discrimination on account of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, ancestry, familial status, military status, sexual orientation or gender identity in any of the activities, services, organizations or facilities described in division (a)(1) hereof;
B. Affording another person or class of persons opportunity or protection so to participate.
(3) Any person because that person is or has been or in order to discourage that person or any other person from, lawfully aiding or encouraging other persons to participate, without discrimination on account of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, ancestry, familial status, military status, sexual orientation or gender identity, in any of the activities, services, organizations or facilities described in division (a)(1) hereof, or participating lawfully in speech or peaceful assembly opposing any denial of the opportunity to so participate.
(b) This section shall not apply whenever the conduct proscribed in this section constitutes a felony under Ohio R.C. 2927.03.
(Ord. 141-1992. Passed 6-1-92; Ord. 103-1998. Passed 5-4-98. Eff. 6-4-98; Ord. 41-2013. Passed 4-15-13.)
This chapter shall not prevent the City or any person from exercising any right or seeking any remedy to which that person might otherwise be entitled or from filing any complaint with any other agency or court of law or equity. If a court determines that there has been a violation of this chapter, it may award compensatory damages and, where appropriate, punitive damages and attorneys' fees. The court may also order such other relief as it deems appropriate.
(Ord. 141-1992. Passed 6-1-92.)
(a) There is hereby established a Community Relations Office which shall consist of the Director of Planning and Development, the Special Projects Coordinator and Community Relations Liaison.
(b) The Community Relations Office will be charged with the responsibility of monitoring fair housing compliance as expressed in this chapter.
(c) The Community Relations Office will work with independent fair housing agencies on a contractual basis for the purpose of conducting monthly audits of real estate agencies, holding educational seminars, updating Federal, State and Municipal fair housing laws, statutes and ordinances, providing impartial mediation on impasses and demographic data on housing patterns and trends.
(d) The Community Relations Office will be responsible for the coordination of all local, State and Federal programs affecting on fair housing as well as working with local advisory groups interested in the monitoring of fair housing.
(e) The Community Relations Office will work with the local police and neighborhood organizations in the areas of education, intervention and other community relations activities to ensure a positive approach to fair housing.
(f) The Community Relations Office shall have authority to:
(1) Restrict solicitations;
(2) Hold administrative hearings on fair housing complaints;
(3) Investigate and accumulate evidence for possible litigation;
(4) Submit to the City of Euclid Law Department any violation of this fair housing chapter;
(5) Recommend any sanctions for violating this fair housing chapter.
(g) The responsibilities of the Director of Planning and Development shall include, but not be limited to, chairing the Community Relations Office on all hearings and meetings. The Director shall oversee all aspects of the Community Relations Office and have the authority to call meetings, initiate administrative hearings and call for the intervention of any legal authority for the enforcement of statutory provisions.
(h) The Special Projects Coordinator shall be directed to administer all contracts with independent agencies in the monitoring of fair housing compliance. Other duties shall include, but not be limited to, fair housing complaint investigations, administration of the City's anti-solicitation ordinance, attendance at any meetings directly relating to programs promoting fair housing, and chairing any ad hoc committees relating to this chapter and other fair housing issues.
(i) The Community Relations Liaison shall meet with neighborhood organizations to provide all necessary materials pertinent to fair housing; conduct investigations of complaints and gather data for possible legal action; meet with realtors on a periodic basis to establish consistency in the marketing, selling and renting of homes in compliance with this chapter; work with the Euclid Police Department's block watch office to coordinate fair housing programs on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis; attend seminars and other fair housing educational meetings; prepare timely reports on fair housing activities; and collate statistical demographics to determine housing trends for steering and blockbusting activities.
(Ord. 141-1992. Passed 6-1-92.)
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