Ashland — Ch. 20 Human Relations § 20-38
Representation
Operative Text
It shall be an unlawful housing practice and a violation of this article for any person, for the purpose of inducing any other person to enter into a real estate transaction with such person, his principal or his agent, to: (1) Represent that a change has occurred, will occur or may occur with respect to the race, color, religion, gender, creed, ancestry, national origin, or physical or mental disability in composition of the owners or occupants in any block, neighborhood or area in which the dwelling or housing (which is the subject of the real estate transaction) is located; or (2) Represent that a change with respect to the race, color, religion, gender, creed, ancestry, national origin, or physical or mental disability in the composition of the owners or occupants in any block, neighborhood or area will result in lowering of property values, or in an increase in criminal or anti-social behavior, or in a decline in the quality of schools in such block, neighborhood or area.
Ashland Ch. 20 § 20-38 prohibits a specific form of housing discrimination known as 'blockbusting.' Under this rule, no person involved in a real estate transaction may make representations — whether true, false, or speculative — about changes in the racial, religious, gender, disability, or national-origin composition of a neighborhood in order to induce someone to buy, sell, or otherwise enter into a housing deal. The rule also bars linking such demographic changes to predictions of falling property values, rising crime, or declining school quality as a means of pressuring a transaction.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under Ashland Ch. 20 § 20-38 generally avoid any statements — written, verbal, or implied — that reference neighborhood demographic shifts when marketing or negotiating housing transactions. Compliant operators do not use characterizations of a block's changing composition, or predictions about property values or neighborhood conditions tied to such changes, as selling or leasing points. Training staff and agents to recognize and refrain from these representations is a common practice among operators seeking to stay within the bounds of 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 § 20-38 gives prospective and current tenants protection against being steered into or out of housing through fear-based or demographic messaging about a neighborhood. If a landlord, agent, or seller makes statements about who is moving into an area — and ties those statements to property values, crime, or schools — that conduct may constitute an unlawful housing practice under this article. Individuals who believe they have encountered such representations can document the incident and explore options such as filing a complaint with a local human relations commission or consulting a tenant-rights organization familiar with Ashland's human relations ordinance.
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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