Ashland — Ch. 20 Human Relations § 20-30
Withholding housing by real estate agent
Operative Text
It shall be an unlawful housing practice and a violation of this article for any real estate agent or other person to represent to any person that any dwelling or housing is not available for inspection, sale, lease or occupancy when in fact it is so available, or otherwise to withhold housing from any person because of race, color, religion, gender, creed, ancestry, national origin, or physical or mental disability.
Ashland Ch. 20 § 20-30 makes it an unlawful housing practice for a real estate agent or any other person to falsely tell a prospective buyer, renter, or occupant that a dwelling is unavailable when it actually is available. The rule also prohibits withholding housing from someone on the basis of protected characteristics, including race, color, religion, gender, creed, ancestry, national origin, or physical or mental disability. This provision applies to the full range of housing transactions, including inspection, sale, lease, and occupancy.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Ashland Ch. 20 § 20-30, real estate agents and property managers operating in Ashland are expected to provide accurate availability information to all prospective tenants and buyers, regardless of their protected characteristics. Compliant operators maintain consistent policies for advertising, showing, and communicating the status of available units, ensuring that no dwelling is misrepresented as unavailable to any person based on race, color, religion, gender, creed, ancestry, national origin, or physical or mental disability. Documenting availability status and communications with prospective occupants is a common practice among operators seeking to demonstrate compliance with this article.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Ashland Ch. 20 § 20-30 gives prospective tenants and buyers protection against being falsely told a unit is unavailable, or being steered away from housing, because of characteristics such as race, color, religion, gender, creed, ancestry, national origin, or physical or mental disability. Individuals who believe they have experienced this type of withholding or misrepresentation may have grounds to raise a violation of this article through Ashland's human relations complaint process or other available channels. Tenant-rights organizations and fair housing advocacy groups can provide general information about how this provision has been applied and what options may exist for those affected.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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