[Ord. No. 8411, 9-27-2021]
The City Council of the City of Maryville, Missouri, hereby
declares it to be the public policy of the City to eliminate discrimination
and safeguard the right of any person to sell, purchase, lease, rent,
or obtain real property without regard to race, color, religion, sex,
handicap, familial status, or national origin. This Chapter shall
be deemed an exercise of the police powers of the City of Maryville,
Missouri, for the protection of the public welfare, prosperity, health,
and peace of the people of Maryville, Missouri.
[Ord. No. 8411, 9-27-2021]
For the purpose of this Chapter the following terms, phrases,
words, and their derivations shall have the meaning given herein unless
the context otherwise indicates.
Includes any person who is attempting to provide housing
for himself/herself and/or his/her family in the City of Maryville,
Missouri.
Distinctions in treatment because of race, color, religion,
sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin of any person.
Includes any individual, firm, partnership, or corporation.
[Ord. No. 8411, 9-27-2021]
A.Â
It shall be a discriminatory practice and a violation of the Chapter
for any person to:
1.Â
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, handicap, familial status, or national origin
of any person.
2.Â
Discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions, or
privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of
services or facilities in connection therewith, because of race, color,
religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.
3.Â
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, handicap, familial
status, or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference,
limitation, or discrimination.
4.Â
Represent to any person because of race, color, religion, sex,
handicap, familial status, or national origin, that any dwelling is
not available for inspection, sale, or rental when such dwelling is
in fact so available.
5.Â
For profit, 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, handicap, familial status, or national
origin.
6.Â
Discriminate in the sale or rental of housing on the basis of
a handicap of that buyer or renter; a person residing in or intending
to reside in that dwelling after it is so sold, rented, or made available;
or any person associated with that buyer or renter. The design and
construction of new multi-family dwellings containing four (4) or
more units are required to meet certain adaptability and accessibility
requirements in accordance with Section 804 of the 1988 Fair Housing
Amendments Act.
7.Â
Discriminate in the sale or rental of housing on the basis of
familial status or because a family has children, exempting certain
types of buildings that house older persons (e.g., Section 202 housing)
in accordance with Section 807 of the 1988 Fair Housing Amendments
Act.
[Ord. No. 8411, 9-27-2021]
It shall be unlawful 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 to a person applying therefore for
the purpose of purchasing, constructing, repairing, or maintaining
a dwelling, or to discriminate against any person in the fixing of
the amount or conditions of such loan, because of the race, color,
religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin of such
person, or of any person therein associated in connection with such
financing.
[Ord. No. 8411, 9-27-2021]
A.Â
There is hereby created a Fair Housing Committee whose membership
shall consist of five (5) members, who shall be appointed by the Mayor
of the City with the approval of the City Council.
B.Â
Every complaint of a violation of this Chapter shall be referred
to a Fair Housing Committee. The Fair Housing Committee shall forthwith
notify the person against whom the complaint is made. The identity
of the aggrieved person shall be made known to the person against
whom the complaint is made at that time. If the Fair Housing Committee,
after investigation, finds there is no merit to the complaint, the
same shall be dismissed. If the Fair Housing Committee finds that
there is merit in the complaint, in their opinion, then and in that
event, the Fair Housing Committee will endeavor to eliminate the alleged
discriminatory practice by conference and conciliation.
C.Â
If the Fair Housing Committee is unable to eliminate the alleged
discriminatory practice by conference and conciliation, then and in
that event, the Fair Housing Committee shall forward said complaint
to the City Attorney for handling. The final determination of whether
to prosecute in Municipal Court on said complaint shall be left to
the City Attorney.
D.Â
Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed in such manner as to limit
administrative enforcement mechanisms and recourse against alleged
discriminatory housing practices through the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development, as specified under Section 810 of the Fair
Housing Act as amended effective March 12, 1989, or through the Missouri
Commission on Human Rights, as specified in applicable State Statutes.
[Ord. No. 8411, 9-27-2021]
A.Â
Any person convicted in Municipal Court of a violation of this Chapter
shall be punished by a fine of (not more than) two hundred ($200.00),
or by confinement in the City jail for (not more than) five (5) days,
or both such fine and imprisonment.
B.Â
The City Attorney, instead of filing a complaint in Municipal Court
of said City, may, as an alternative remedy, seek to have the alleged
discriminatory practices abated by an action for an injunction to
be maintained in the appropriate Circuit Court of the State of Missouri.
