[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Middle
2-1-1979 as Ord. No. 360-79. Section 117-4 added at time of adoption of Code;
see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I. Other amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Housing Authority — See Ch. 25.
The Township Committee, governing body of the Township of Middle, ordains
that this chapter shall be known as the "Middle Township 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, by the owner himself or by legal representative, but not including
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 thereof 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 an unlawful, discriminatory practice for any person to:
A.Â
Refuse to sell, lease or finance or otherwise 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.Â
Refuse to lend money, whether or not secured by mortgage
or otherwise, for the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair or
maintenance of commercial housing to any person 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.
C.Â
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 the race, color, religious creed, ancestry,
sex or national origin of any present or prospective owner, occupant or user
of such commercial housing or discriminate against any person in terms of
leasing any commercial housing or in furnishing facilities, services or priveleges
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.Â
Discriminate against any person in the terms or conditions
of any loan 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.Â
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 which expresses, directly
or indirectly, any limitation, specification or discrimination based upon
race, color, religious creed, ancestry, sex or national origin or 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.
Any person violating any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction,
be subject to one or more of the following: a fine of not to exceed $1,000
or imprisonment for a period of not to exceed 90 days or a period of community
service not to exceed 90 days.
