Whenever used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them, and the singular shall include the plural, and the masculine shall include the feminine and the neuter.
(a) “Person” includes one or more individuals, partnerships, associations, organizations, corporations, legal representatives, trustees, trustees in bankruptcy, receivers, and other organized groups of persons. It also includes, but is not limited to, any owner, lessor, assignor, builder, manager, broker, salesman, agent, employee, lending institution, and the State, and all political subdivisions, authorities, agencies, boards, and commissions thereof.
(b) "Discrimination", "Discriminating” or "Discriminate" means to render any difference in treatment to any person in the sale, lease, rental or financing of a dwelling or housing unit because of a person's race, color, creed, sex, religious belief, ancestry, national origin, age, handicap or familial status.
(c) "Unlawful Discriminatory Practice" means any act prohibited by Ohio R.C. 4112.02.
(d) "Housing Accommodation" includes any building or structure or portion thereof which is used or occupied or is intended, arranged, or designated to be used or occupied as the home residence or sleeping place of one or more individuals, groups or families, whether or not living independently or each other, and any vacant land offered for sale or lease for commercial housing.
(e) "Commercial Housing" means housing accommodations held or offered for sale or rent by a real estate broker, salesman, or agent, or by any other person pursuant to authorization of the owner, by the owner himself, or by legal representatives, but does not include any personal residence offered for sale or rent by the owner.
(f) "Personal Residence" means a building or structure containing living quarters occupied or intended to be occupied by no more than two individuals, two groups, or two families living independently of each other and occupied by the owner thereof as a bona fide residence for himself and any members of his family forming his household. If a personal residence is vacated by the owner, it shall continue to be considered owner-occupied until occupied by someone other than the owner or until sold by the owner, whichever comes first.
(g) "Restrictive Covenant" means any specification limiting the transfer, rental, lease, or other use of any housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, or ancestry, or any limitation based upon affiliation with or approval by any person, directly or indirectly, employing race, color, creed, sex, marital status, familial status, age or handicap as a condition of affiliation or approval.
(h) "Familial Status" means families in which one or more children under 18 live with: a parent, a person who has legal custody, the designee of the parent or legal custodian, with the parent's or custodian's written permission; pregnant women and/or person in the process of securing legal custody of children under 18.
(Ord. 06-83. Passed 7-10-06.)