It shall be an unlawful housing practice and a violation of this chapter:
(a) For any person or real estate agent:
(1) To discriminate against any person in the selling, leasing, subleasing, renting, assigning or otherwise transferring of any interest in a housing unit.
(2) To discriminate against any person by refusing to negotiate, making false representations on the availability of the housing unit, or withdrawing from the market a housing unit which is for sale, lease, sublease, or rental.
(3) To include in the terms, conditions, or privileges of any sale, lease, sublease, rental, assignment or other transfer of any housing, any clause, condition or restriction discriminating against any person in the use or occupancy of such housing.
(4) To discriminate in the furnishing of any facilities, repairs, improvements or services or in the terms, conditions, privileges or tenure of occupancy of any person.
(b) For any lending institution to discriminate in lending money, guaranteeing loans, accepting a deed of trust or mortgage or otherwise making available funds for the purchase, acquisition, construction, alteration, rehabilitation, repair or maintenance of any housing or discriminate in the fixing of the rates, terms, conditions or provisions of any such financial assistance.
(c) For any person or real estate agent, with respect to any prohibited act not specified in this chapter, to publish or circulate or cause to be published or circulated, any notice, statement, listing or advertisement, or to announce a policy or to make any record in connection with the prospective sale, lease, sublease, rental or financing of any housing which indicates reliance, determination or decision based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status as defined in Section 4112.01 of the Ohio Revised Code, national origin, disability as defined in that section, ancestry, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity and source of income.
(d) For any person or real estate agent to assist in, compel, or coerce the doing of any act declared to be an unlawful housing practice under this chapter, or to obstruct or prevent enforcement or compliance with provisions of this chapter, or to attempt directly or indirectly to commit any act declared by this chapter to be an unlawful housing practice.
(e) For any person or real estate agent:
(1) To induce or attempt to induce the sale, transfer of interest, or listing for sale of any housing by making representations regarding the existing or potential proximity of real property owned, used, or occupied by any person of any particular race, color, religion, sex, familial status as defined in Section 4112.01 of the Ohio Revised Code, national origin, disability as defined in that section, ancestry, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity and source of income by direct or indirect methods.
(2) To make any representation to a prospective purchaser or lessee that any housing in a particular block, neighborhood or area may undergo, is undergoing or has undergone a change with respect to racial, color, religious, nationality ethnic composition, or familial status of such block, neighborhood or area.
(3) To induce or attempt to induce the sale or listing for sale of any housing by representing that the presence or anticipated presence of persons of any particular race, color, religion, sex, familial status as defined in Section 4112.01 of the Ohio Revised Code, national origin, disability as defined in that section, ancestry, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity and source of income, in the area will or may result in:
A. The lowering of property values.
B. A change in the racial, color, religious, nationality, ethnic composition or familial status of the block, neighborhood or area in which the property is located.
C. An increase in criminal or antisocial behavior in area.
D. A decline in quality of the schools serving the area.
(f) For any person or real estate agent to cause or coerce or attempt to cause or coerce retaliation against any person because such person has lawfully opposed any act or failure to act that is a violation of this chapter or has, in good faith, filed a complaint, testified, participated or assisted in any way in proceeding under this chapter.
(g) To deny any person access to or membership or participation in any multiple-listing service, real estate brokers' organization or other service, organization or facility relating to the business of selling or renting housing or discriminate against a person in the terms or conditions of such access, membership or participation.
(h) To do any other thing or engage in conduct which would be reasonably construed by a person of ordinary sensibilities to otherwise make unavailable equal housing opportunities to any person on the basis of their race, color, religion, sex, familial status as defined in Section 4112.01 of the Ohio Revised Code, national origin, disability as defined in that section, ancestry, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity and source of income.
(Ord. 89-13. Passed 2-6-90; Ord. 2012-06. Passed 5-1-12.)