Trenton — Ch. 20 Human Relations and Social Services § 20-21

Prohibited acts

In Force
Verified 11/10/2026 · Next check 12/10/2026
TrentonProtected Classes (State/Local)

Operative Text

Trenton — Ch. 20 Human Relations and Social Services § 20-21
It shall be unlawful for any owner of real estate, lessee, sub-lessee, real estate broker or salesman, financial institution or employee of the financial institution, advertiser, or agent of any or all of the foregoing, to discriminate against any person because of his race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed or disability with regard to the sale, exchange or rental, or any dealing concerning any housing accommodation or real property. In addition, it is unlawful for any real estate broker or employee thereof, owner or other person, or financial institution dealing with housing or real property in the city: (1)
To discriminate against any person in the availability of or the price, terms, conditions, or privileges of any kind relating to the sale, rental, lease or occupancy of any housing accommodation or real property in the city, or in furnishing of any facilities or services in connection therewith.
(2) To publish or circulate, or cause to be published or circulated, any notice, statement or advertisement, or to announce a policy, or to use any form of application, for the purchase, lease, rental or financing of real property, or to make any record of inquiry in connection with the prospective purchase, rental or lease of such real estate, which expresses directly or indirectly any discrimination as to race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed or disability of any person.
(3) To discriminate in connection with lending money, guaranteeing loans, accepting mortgages or otherwise obtaining or making available funds for the purchase, acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair or maintenance of any housing accommodations or real property.
(4) To solicit for sale, lease, or listing for the sale or lease, of any housing accommodation or real property on the grounds of loss of value because of the present or prospective entry into any neighborhood of any person of any particular race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed or disability.
(5) To distribute or cause to be distributed, written material or statements designed to induce any owner or any housing accommodation or real property to sell or lease his property because of any present or prospective change in the race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed, or disability of persons in the neighborhood.
(6) To make any misrepresentations concerning the listing for sale or the anticipated listing for sale or the sale of any housing accommodation or real property for the purpose of inducing or attempting to induce the sale or listing for sale of any housing accommodation or real property by representing that the presence or anticipated presence of persons of any particular race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed, or disability in the area will or may result in the lowering of property values in the block, neighborhood, or area in which the property is located.
(7) For an owner to solicit any real estate broker to sell, rent or otherwise deal with such owner's housing accommodations or real property with any limitation on its sale based on race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed, or disability.
(8) For an owner to refuse to sell, rent or otherwise deal with any housing accommodation or real property because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed or disability of the proposed buyer or tenant.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Trenton Ch. 20 § 20-21 makes it unlawful for a broad range of housing actors — including property owners, lessees, brokers, lenders, and advertisers — to discriminate in the sale, rental, or financing of housing based on race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed, or disability. The provision also specifically prohibits blockbusting tactics, such as soliciting sales by suggesting that a neighborhood's property values will fall because of the demographic characteristics of incoming residents. Discriminatory advertising, application forms, lending practices, and owner-directed instructions to brokers that impose demographic restrictions are all covered by this rule.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on November 9, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Trenton Ch. 20 § 20-21, property owners and their agents are expected to apply consistent, non-discriminatory criteria across all aspects of housing transactions, including pricing, terms, advertising, and tenant or buyer selection. Compliant operators avoid any communications — written, verbal, or in application materials — that reference protected characteristics such as race, religion, sex, or disability as a factor in availability or conditions. Owners are also expected to refrain from instructing brokers or other agents to limit dealings based on any of the protected classes enumerated in § 20-21.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Trenton Ch. 20 § 20-21 establishes that tenants and prospective buyers have the right to be free from discrimination in the rental, sale, or financing of housing based on protected characteristics including race, religion, sex, national origin, and disability. If a person believes they have experienced a violation of § 20-21 — such as being denied housing, quoted different terms, or exposed to discriminatory advertising — they may consider filing a complaint with Trenton's human relations office or a relevant fair housing agency. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid services can help individuals understand what documentation may be relevant and what local or state remedies may be available under this provision.

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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Related Rules

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Definitions
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Functions, powers and duties of commission
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Unlawful practices

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