(a) It shall be an unlawful housing practice and a violation of this chapter:
(1) For any person or real estate agent to:
A. Discriminate against any person in the selling, leasing, subleasing, renting, assigning or otherwise transferring of any interest in housing;
B. Discriminate against any person by refusing to negotiate, refusing to transmit a bona fide offer, making false representations on the availability of the housing unit for inspection, sale or rental or withdrawing from the market a housing unit which is for sale, lease, sublease or rental;
C. 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; or
D. Discriminate in the furnishing of facilities, repairs, improvements or services or in the terms, conditions, privileges or tenure of occupancy of any person;
(2) For any lending institution to:
A. Discriminate in lending money, guaranteeing loans, accepting a deed of trust or mortgage or otherwise making available funds for purchasing, constructing, improving, altering, repairing, rehabilitating or maintaining any housing, or discriminate in the fixing of the amount, interest rate, duration or other terms, conditions or provisions of any such financial assistance; or
B. Discriminate in the lending of money, guaranteeing loans, accepting a deed of trust or mortgage or otherwise making funds available on the basis of the geographic location;
(3) For any person, real estate agent or lending institution, with respect to any prohibited act 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, creed, sex, marital status, religious belief, national origin or handicap;
(4) 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 endorsement or compliance with this chapter, or to attempt, directly or indirectly, to commit any act declared by this chapter to be an unlawful housing practice;
(5) For any person, real estate agent or lending institution to:
A. 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, creed, sex, marital status, religious belief, national origin or handicap, by direct or indirect methods;
B. 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 race, color, creed, sex, marital status, religion, national origin or handicap of such block, neighborhood or area; or
C. 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, creed, sex, marital status, religion, national origin or handicap in the block, neighborhood or area will or may result in:
1. The lowering of property values;
2. A change in the racial, color, religious, nationality or ethnic composition of the block, neighborhood or area in which the property is located;
3. An increase in criminal or antisocial behavior in the area; or
4. A decline in the quality of the schools serving the area;
(6) 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 proceedings under this chapter, or to prevent any person from complying with this chapter; or
(7) For any person to do any other thing or engage in conduct which would otherwise make unavailable equal housing opportunities.
(b) Whoever violates or fails to comply with any of the provisions of this section is subject to a court action for compensatory damages and, where appropriate, for punitive damages of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), in addition to attorneys' fees and court costs. The court may also order such other relief as is necessary or appropriate.
(Ord. 23-84. Passed 5-16-84.)