Phoenix — Ch. 50 Human Relations § 50-20
Definitions
Operative Text
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: Administrator means the person designated by the village board of trustees of the village to administer the provisions of this article. Affirmative marketing means coming to a full understanding of the detrimental effects of a dual housing market, then working actively to attract to a development of a community members of racial or ethnic groups which would not ordinarily be expected to be attracted in the normal mechanisms of the commercial market, thus using that understanding to modify the behavior of the home seeker. Board means the fair housing review board. Commission means the commission on human relations. Homeowners means individuals selling or leasing the home in which they live and own. Housing provider means any real estate broker listing or showing real estate in the village, and any developer, owner, lessee, sublessee, assignee, managing agent, or other person, firm, or corporation having the right to sell, rent, lease, or sublease two or more housing units within the village. Lease includes any sublease, assignment, or rental and any contract to do any of the foregoing. Lending institution means any bank, insurance company, savings and loan association or any other person in the business of lending money or guaranteeing loans, any person in the business of obtaining, arranging or negotiating loans or guarantees as agent or broker, and any person in the business of buying or selling loans or instruments for the payment of money which loans or instruments are secured by title to or a security interest in real estate. Owner means any person who holds legal or equitable title to, or owns any beneficial interest in any real estate. Purchase includes any contract to purchase. Real estate agent means any real estate broker, any real estate salesman, and any other person who, as employee or agent or otherwise, engages in the sale, rental, management or operation of any real estate. The term "real estate agent" means and includes persons sometimes known as "finders" who seek to locate and match buyers with sellers or lessors with lessees. Real estate broker means any person required by law to be licensed as a real estate broker. Real estate salesman means any person required by law to be licensed as a real estate salesman. Real estate transaction means the purchase, sale, exchange, rental or lease of any real estate, or an option to do any of the foregoing or any negotiations, listing or contracts in connection therewith. Target population means that population, nonminority or minority, which is not presently being attracted to the village and is not participating regularly in the marketplace of the village.
Phoenix Ch. 50 § 50-20 establishes the official definitions that govern how key terms are interpreted throughout the village's human relations article on fair housing. Words like 'housing provider,' 'lending institution,' 'real estate transaction,' and 'affirmative marketing' carry specific legal meanings under this section, which apply whenever those terms appear elsewhere in the article. The definitions are designed to set a consistent, shared vocabulary so that rights, obligations, and enforcement mechanisms in the broader article are applied uniformly. Where context clearly calls for a different meaning, the article allows for that flexibility.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners, managers, brokers, and developers operating in Phoenix should be aware that § 50-20 defines who qualifies as a 'housing provider' — a category that covers anyone with the right to sell, rent, lease, or sublease two or more housing units in the village. Compliant operators generally familiarize themselves with all defined terms in this section, since those definitions shape the scope of obligations and prohibitions found throughout Ch. 50. Understanding the definition of 'affirmative marketing,' for example, helps operators recognize what proactive outreach efforts may be expected of them under related provisions.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
For tenants, § 50-20 is the definitional foundation of Phoenix's fair housing protections — understanding terms like 'real estate transaction' and 'housing provider' helps clarify who is covered by the article's anti-discrimination rules and what activities fall within its scope. If a tenant believes a housing provider, real estate agent, or lending institution has acted in violation of Ch. 50, the article establishes a Commission on Human Relations and a Fair Housing Review Board as potential avenues for raising concerns. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with local Phoenix ordinances can help individuals understand how these definitions apply to their circumstances.
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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