[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Warren 7-23-1979 by Ord. No.
1200 (Ch. 11, Part 1, of the 1997 Code of Ordinances).
Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 12-12-1988 by Ord. No. 1491]
This chapter shall be known as the "City of Warren Fair Housing
Ordinance."
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Housing accommodations held or offered for sale or rent by
a real estate broker, salesman or agency, or by any other person pursuant
to authorization of the owner, or by the owner himself or by legal
representative, but shall not include any personal residence offered
for rent by the owner or lessee thereof or by a broker, salesman,
agent or employee.
Includes:
Any building or structure or portion thereto which is used or
occupied or is intended, arranged or designed 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 of each other;
and
Any vacant land offered for sale or lease for commercial housing.
Includes one or more individuals, partnerships, associations,
organizations, corporations, legal representatives, trustees in bankruptcy
or receivers. It also includes, but is not limited to, any owner,
lessor, assignor, builder, manager, broker, agent, employer, lending
institution and all political subdivisions, authorities, boards and
commissions.
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 used by the
owner or lessee thereof as a bona fide residence for himself and any
member of his family forming his household.
It shall be unlawful discriminatory practice for any person
to:
A.
Refuse to sell, lease, finance or otherwise to deny or withhold commercial
housing from any person because of race, color, religious creed, ancestry,
sex or national origin of any prospective owner, occupant or user
of such commercial housing or to any person due to use of a guide
dog because of the blindness of the user.
B.
Refuse to lend money, whether or not secured by a mortgage or otherwise,
for the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair or maintenance
of commercial housing from any person because of race, color, religious
creed, ancestry, sex or national origin of any present or prospective
owner, occupant or user of such commercial housing.
C.
Discriminate against any person in the terms or conditions of selling
or leasing of any commercial housing or in furnishing facilities,
services or privileges in connection with the ownership, occupancy
or use of any commercial housing because of race, color, religious
creed, ancestry, sex or national origin of any present or prospective
owner, occupant or user of such commercial housing, or to discriminate
against any person in terms of leasing any commercial housing or in
furnishing facilities, services or privileges in connection with the
occupancy or use of any commercial housing due to use of a guide dog
because of the blindness of the user.
D.
Discriminate against any person in the terms or conditions of any
loan of money, whether or not secured by mortgage or otherwise, for
the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair or maintenance
of commercial housing because of the race, color, religious creed,
ancestry, sex or national origin of any present or prospective owner,
occupant or user of such commercial housing.
E.
Print, publish or circulate any statement or advertisement relating
to the sale, lease or acquisition of any commercial housing or the
loan of money, whether or not secured by mortgage or otherwise, for
the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair or maintenance,
specifying or discriminating based upon race, color, religious creed,
ancestry, sex or national origin, or to print, publish or circulate
any statement or advertisement relating to the lease of any commercial
dwelling which indicates any preference, limitation, specification
or discrimination based upon use of a guide dog because of the blindness
of the user.
F.
Make any inquiry, elicit any information, make or keep any record
or use any form of application containing questions or entries concerning
race, color, religious creed, ancestry, sex or national origin in
connection with the sale or lease of any commercial housing or loan
of any money, whether or not secured by mortgage or otherwise, for
the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair or maintenance
of commercial housing, or to make any inquiry, elicit any information,
make or keep any record or use any form of application containing
questions or entries concerning the use of a guide dog because of
the blindness of the user, in connection with the lease of any commercial
housing.
[Added 4-14-1980 by Ord. No. 1271; 12-12-1988 by Ord. No. 1491]
The City Manager, or a person designated by the Manager, shall
serve as compliance officer for the purposes of enforcing the provisions
of this chapter. It shall be the responsibility of the compliance
officer to advise the public that any complaints of discrimination
in the sale, rental or financing of housing should be reported directly
to him/her, to notify the local realtors on an annual basis of the
provisions of this chapter, and to document all activities relating
to the above.
[Added 4-14-1980 by Ord. No. 1271; 12-8-1997 by Ord. No. 1622]
Any person who shall violate any provision of this chapter shall,
upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding
$600 plus costs and, in default of payment thereof, shall be subject
to imprisonment for a term not to exceed 30 days.
