(A) It is the public policy of the city to provide all its citizens equal opportunity for education, employment, access to public conveniences and accommodations and acquisition through purchase or rental of real property, including, but not limited to housing, and to eliminate discrimination or separation based on race, religion, color, sex, handicap, national origin or ancestry, since such discrimination is an impediment to equal opportunity. Equal education employment opportunities and equal access to and use of public accommodations and equal opportunity for acquisition of real property are civil rights.
(B) The practice of denying these rights to properly qualified persons because of race, religion, color, sex, handicap, national origin or ancestry is contrary to the principles of freedom and equality of opportunity and is a burden to the objectives of the public policy of the city and shall be deemed discriminatory practices. The promotion of equal opportunity without regard to race, religion, color, sex, handicap, national origin or ancestry is the purpose of this subchapter.
(C) It is also the public policy of the city to protect employers, labor organizations, employment agencies, property owners, real estate brokers, builders and lending institutions from unfounded charges of discrimination.
(D) It is contrary to the public policy of the city and a discriminatory practice for any owner, real estate broker, salesperson or any other person or agent thereof:
(1) To refuse to sell or rent after the making of a bona fide offer or to refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of or otherwise make unavailable or deny a dwelling to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin or handicap;
(2) To discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling or in the providing of services or facilities in connection therewith, because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin or handicap;
(3) To make, print or publish or cause to be made, printed or published any notice, statement or advertisement with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin or handicap;
(4) To represent to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin or handicap that dwelling is not available for inspection, sale or rental when such is in fact so available;
(5) To induce or attempt to induce any person to sell or rent any dwelling by representations regarding the entry or prospective entry into the neighborhood of a person or persons of a particular race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
(E) It is contrary to the public policy of the city and a discriminatory practice for any person whose business consists in the making of real estate loans to deny a loan or other financial assistance to a person applying therefore for the purpose of purchasing, constructing, improving, repairing or maintaining a dwelling or to discriminate against him or her in fixing the amount, interest rate, duration or other terms or conditions of that loan or other financial assistance, because of race, color, religion, sex or national origin of that person or of any person associated with him or her in connection with such loan or other financial assistance or of the present or prospective owners, lessees, tenants or occupants of the dwelling or dwellings in relation to which that loan or other financial assistance is to be made or given.
(F) It is contrary to the public policy of the city and a discriminatory practice for any person to deny any person access to or memberships 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 dwellings or to discriminate against him or her in the terms or conditions of that access, membership or participation on account of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
(G) It is against the public policy of the city and a discriminatory act for any lending institution, including government agencies, to discriminate in lending money, guaranteeing loans, accepting mortgages or otherwise making available funds for the purchase, acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair or maintenance of any housing unit because of the geographical location of property or race, color, sex, handicap, national origin or ancestry of any prospective buyer or seller.
(1985 Code, § 22-9-1-12.1(b)) (Ord. 29-1968, passed 9-3-1968; Am. Ord. 15-1979, passed 8-8-1979; Am. Ord. 13-1984, passed 7-5-1984)