Grand Rapids — Ch. 176 Human Rights § 9.955
Statement of Public Policy
Operative Text
It is hereby declared to be contrary to the public policy of the City of Grand Rapids (City) for any person to deny any individual the enjoyment of civil rights, or for any person to discriminate against any individual in the exercise of civil rights because of actual or perceived color, race, religion or creed, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genotype, age, marital status, familial status, medical condition, disability, height, weight, or source of lawful income (cumulatively known as protected classes).
Grand Rapids Chapter 176, Section 9.955 establishes the city's foundational anti-discrimination policy in housing and other civil rights contexts. Under this provision, denying someone the enjoyment of civil rights—or treating them differently in the exercise of those rights—because of characteristics such as race, sex, gender identity, disability, height, weight, source of lawful income, or any of the other listed protected classes is declared contrary to public policy. The provision covers both actual and perceived membership in any of these categories, meaning a person need not actually possess a characteristic for the protection to apply.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Section 9.955 of Grand Rapids Ch. 176 sets the overarching policy framework within which landlords and property managers operate when renting, advertising, or managing housing in the city. Operators who comply with this chapter generally ensure that decisions about tenants and applicants are made without regard to any of the enumerated protected classes, including source of lawful income and characteristics like height and weight that may not appear in state or federal law. Familiarity with the full list of protected classes under § 9.955 is a practical starting point for building compliant screening criteria, lease terms, and day-to-day management practices.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Grand Rapids Ch. 176, § 9.955 declares it against city public policy for anyone to deny or interfere with an individual's civil rights based on a broad set of protected characteristics, including source of lawful income, gender identity or expression, and height and weight. Tenants who believe they have experienced such discrimination may have grounds to raise a violation under this chapter, file a complaint with the appropriate city human rights body, or reach out to a local tenant-rights or fair-housing organization for information about available remedies. Because § 9.955 covers both actual and perceived membership in a protected class, individuals who were treated differently based on an assumption about their characteristics may also fall within the provision's protections.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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