Loading...
It shall be an unlawful practice for a real estate owner or operator, a real estate broker, a real estate salesman, a financial institution, an employee of any of these, or any other person to:
(A) Refuse to sell, purchase, rent or lease, or otherwise deny to or withhold any housing accommodation from a person, or to evict a person because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, familial status or national origin; or
(B) To discriminate against a person in the terms, conditions or privileges of the sale, purchase, rental or lease of any housing accommodation, or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith; or
(C) To refuse to receive or transmit a bona fide offer to sell, purchase, rent or lease any housing accommodation from or to a person because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identify, age, disability, familial status or national origin; or
(D) To evict or refuse to negotiate for the sale, purchase, rental or lease of any housing accommodation to a person because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, familial status or national origin; or
(E) To represent to a person that any housing accommodation is not available for inspection, sale, purchase, rental or lease when in fact it is so available, or to refuse to permit a person to inspect any housing accommodation, because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, familial status or national origin when such dwelling is in fact available to persons who are financially qualified; or
(F) To make, publish, print, circulate, post or mail, or cause to be made, published, printed, circulated, posted or mailed, any notice, statement or advertisement, or to announce a policy, or to sign or to use a form of application for the sale, purchase, rental, lease or financing of any housing accommodation, or to make a record of inquiry in connection with the prospective sale, purchase, rental, lease or financing of any housing accommodation, which indicates any discrimination or any intent to discriminate; or
(G) To offer, solicit, accept or use a listing of any housing accommodation for sale, purchase, rental or leasing, knowing that a person may be subjected to discrimination in connection with such sale, purchase, rental or lease, or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith; or
(H) To induce or discourage, or to attempt to induce or discourage:
(1) The sale,
(2) The purchase,
(3) The rental,
(4) The lease, or
(5) The listing for divisions (A), (B), (C) or (D) above, of any housing accommodations in an area, by means of:
(a) Causing panic,
(b) Inciting unrest, or
(c) Creating or playing upon fear, by representing that the presence or anticipated presence in that area of persons of any particular race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, familial status or national origin, will or may result in:
1. The lowering of property values in the area;
2. The increase in criminal or antisocial behavior in the area;
3. A decline in the quality of the school serving the area; or
(I) For any bank, building and loan association, insurance company or other corporation, association, firm or enterprise whose business consists in whole or in part in the making of commercial real estate loans, to deny a loan or other financial assistance to a person applying therefor the purpose of purchasing, construction, improving, repairing or maintaining a dwelling, or to discriminate against him or her in the fixing of the amount, interest rate, duration, or other terms or conditions of such loans or other financial assistance, because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, familial status or national origin of such person or of any person associated with him or her in connection with such loan or other financial assistance or the purposes of such loan or other financial assistance, or of the present or prospective owners, lessees, tenants, or occupants of the dwelling or dwelling in relation to which such loan or other financial assistance is to be made or given; or
(J) To deny any person, who is otherwise professionally qualified by state law, 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 dwellings, or to discriminate against him or her in the terms or conditions of such access, membership or participation, on account of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, familial status or national origin.
(Ord. 18044, passed 10-9-18)
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply:
(A) To the rental of housing accommodations in a building which contains housing accommodations for not more than four families living independently of each other, if the owner or member of his or her family resides in one of the housing accommodations;
(B) To the rental of one room or one rooming unit in a housing accommodation by an individual if he or she or a member of his or her family resides therein;
(C) To a religious organization, association, or society, or any non-profit institution or organization operated, supervised or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association or society, from limiting the sale, rental or occupancy of dwellings which it owns or operates for other than commercial purpose to persons of the same religion or from giving preference to such persons, unless membership in such a religion is restricted on account of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.
(Ord. 18044, passed 10-9-18)
(A) The town may bring a civil action to enjoin an illegal act under this chapter.
(B) Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall be subject to a maximum fine of not more than $500, plus all other state assessments, court charges and fees.
(C) A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day that a violation occurs or continues.
(D) There is no private right of action that is created by this section or money damages available to any person based on this section.
(Ord. 18044, passed 10-9-18)
(A) In connection with an investigation of a complaint filed under this chapter, the enforcing officer(s) at any reasonable time may request voluntary access to premises, records and documents relevant to the complaints and may request the right to examine, photograph, and copy evidence.
(B) Every person subject to this chapter shall make, keep and preserve records relevant to the determination of whether unlawful practices have been or are being committed, such records maintained and preserved in a manner and to the extent required under the Civil Rights Act of 1968 and any regulations promulgated thereunder.
(Ord. 18044, passed 10-9-18)
It shall be an unlawful practice for a person, or for two or more persons to conspire:
(A) To retaliate or discriminate in any manner against a person because he or she has opposed a practice declared unlawful by this chapter, or because he or she has made a charge, filed a complaint, testified, assisted or participated in any manner in any investigation, or proceeding, or hearing under this chapter; or
(B) To aid, abet, incite, compel or coerce a person to engage in any of the acts or practices declared unlawful by this chapter; or
(C) To obstruct or prevent a person from complying with the provisions of this chapter or any order issued thereunder; or
(D) To resist, prevent, impede, or interfere with the enforcing agent(s), housing board, or any of its members or representatives in the lawful performance of duty under this chapter.
(Ord. 18044, passed 10-9-18)