St. Clair Shores — Ch. 22 Art. II Fair Housing § 22-22

(a) Prohibited acts, general. It shall be unlawful to:
(1) Employ discriminatory terms. Discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection therewith, because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, familial status, marital status, height, weight or age.
(2) Refuse to negotiate, deal, sell or rent. Refuse to sell or rent, after the making of a bona fide offer, or to refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or otherwise make unavailable or deny a dwelling to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age.
(3) Withhold dwellings. Represent to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, familial status, marital status, height, weight or age that any dwelling is not available for inspection, sale, or rental when such dwelling is in fact available.
(4) Discriminate in advertisements, sign, notices. Make, print, circulate or publish, or cause to be made, printed, circulated, or published, any written or oral notice, statement, or advertisement, with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age. This subsection also prohibits an intention to make such preference, limitation or discrimination. Discriminatory notices, statements or advertisements include, but are not limited to:
a. Using words, phrases, photographs, illustrations, symbols or forms which convey that dwellings are available or not available to a particular group of persons because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age.
b. Expressing to agents, brokers, employees, prospective sellers or renters or any other persons a preference for or limitation on any purchaser or renter because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age of such persons.
c. Selecting media or locations for advertising the sale or rental of dwellings which deny particular segments of the housing market information about housing opportunities because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age.
d. Refusing to publish advertising for the sale or rental of dwellings or requiring different charges or terms for such advertising because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age.
(5) Induce panic peddling. For profit, induce or attempt to induce a person to sell or rent a dwelling by representations regarding the entry or prospective entry into the neighborhood of a person or persons of a particular race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age. Prohibited action under this subsection would include, but is not limited to, the practice commonly known as "blockbusting."
(6) Discriminate in lending. Discriminate in connection with borrowing or lending money, guaranteeing loans, accepting mortgages, or otherwise financing a real estate transaction on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age.
(7) Discriminate in lending terms. Deny or delay the processing of a loan or other financial assistance to a person applying for the purpose of purchasing, constructing, improving, repairing or maintaining a dwelling, or discriminate in the fixing of that amount, interest rate, duration or other terms or conditions of such loan or other financial assistance because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age of such person.
(8) Discriminate in appraising/insurance. Discriminate in the appraisal of the value of real estate or in the sale of insurance in connection with a real estate transaction because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age of the person.
(9) Impose varying terms. Impose different sale prices or rental charges or other varying terms for the sale or rental of a dwelling upon any person because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age.
(10) Discriminate in qualification criteria. Use different qualification criteria, such as income standards, application fees, credit analysis or other requirements because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age.
(11) Discriminate in eviction. Evict tenants because of their race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age or because of the race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age of a tenant's guest.
(12) Discriminate in listings. Enter into a listing agreement which discriminates against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age or because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age of a tenant's guest.
(13) Discriminate in membership or service. Deny any person access to or membership or participation in any multiple listing service, real estate brokers' organization or other service, organization, or facility relating to the business of selling or renting dwellings or to discriminate against any person in the terms or conditions of such access, membership or participation on account of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age.
(14) Participate in discrimination. Act or undertake to act as a real estate broker, salesperson, or agent with respect to any dwelling, the disposition of which requires said person to participate in discrimination.
(15) Interfere, coerce, or use intimidation. Coerce, intimidate, threaten or interfere with any person in the exercise or enjoyment of, or on account of having exercised or enjoyed, or on account of having aided or encouraged any other person in the exercise of enjoyment or any right granted or protected by this article.
(b) Prohibited acts, handicapped housing. In addition to those prohibited acts identified in subsections (a) and (c) of this section, it shall be unlawful:
(1) Discriminate against the handicapped. To discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection with such dwelling, because of a handicap of:
a. That buyer or renter;
b. A person residing in or intending to reside in that dwelling after it is so sold, rented, or made available; or
c. Any person associated with that person.
(2) Inquires. To make an inquiry to determine whether an applicant for a dwelling; a person intending to reside in that dwelling after it is sold, rented, or made available; or any person associated with that person, has a handicap, or to make inquiry as to the nature or severity of a handicap of such person. This section does not prohibit the following inquiries, provided these inquiries are made of all applicants, whether or not they have handicaps:
a. Inquiry into the applicant's ability to meet the requirements of ownership or tenancy;
b. Inquiry to determine whether an applicant is qualified for a dwelling available only to persons with handicaps or to persons with a particular type of handicap;
c. Inquiry to determine whether an applicant for a dwelling is qualified for a priority available to persons with handicaps or to persons with a particular type of handicap;
d. Inquiry to determine whether an applicant for a dwelling is a current illegal abuser or addict of a controlled substance;
e. Inquiry to determine whether an applicant has been convicted of the illegal manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance.
Nothing in this subsection requires that a dwelling be made available to an individual whose tenancy would constitute a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals or whose tenancy would result in substantial physical damage to the property of others.
(3) Refuse unit modification. For any person to refuse to permit, at the expense of the handicapped person, reasonable modifications of existing premises occupied or to be occupied by such person if such modifications may be necessary to afford such person full enjoyment of the premises. However, in the case of a rental, the landlord may, where it is reasonable to do so, condition permission for a modification on the renter's agreement to restore the interior of the modification, reasonable wear and tear excepted. While the landlord may not increase the security deposit normally required to cover the cost of any restoration, where it is necessary to ensure that funds will be available to pay for the restorations at the end of the tenancy, the landlord may negotiate, as part of a restoration agreement, a provision requiring that the tenant pay into an interest bearing escrow account, over a reasonable period, a reasonable amount not to exceed the cost of the restorations. The interest in any such account shall accrue to the benefit of the tenant.
(4) Discriminate with rules and policies. For any person to refuse to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, or services, when such accommodations may be necessary to afford such person equal opportunity to use and enjoy the dwelling including public and common use areas.
(5) Discriminate in new construction. To fail to hereafter design and construct new dwellings not in compliance with barrier free design requirements of the City building code and in accordance with the statutes of the state and the rules of the state barrier free design board.
(6) Discriminate against guide/support dogs. To refuse to sell or rent, or to discriminate in the terms, conditions or privileges of sale or rental property, because a person has a guide, hearing or support dog.
(c) Prohibited acts, financial. In addition to those prohibited acts identified in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, it shall be unlawful for any financial institution to:
(1) Deny any person any of the services normally offered by such institution on basis of race, color, sex, religion, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age.
(2) Provide any person with any service which is different from, or provided in a different manner than, that which is provided to other persons similarly situated.
(3) Deny or vary terms of a loan because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age.
(4) Deny or vary terms of a loan on the basis that a specific parcel of real estate offered as security is located in a specific geographical area.
(5) Refuse to purchase or impose different terms or conditions on loans or other debts or securities which support the purchase, construction, improvement, repair or maintenance of a dwelling, or which are secured by residential real estate because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, marital status, height, weight or age.