Athens Village, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 145 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 145-4
Discrimination in financing of housing
Operative Text
It shall be unlawful within the Village of Athens for any bank, building and loan association, insurance company or other corporation, association, firm or enterprise whose business consists in whole or in part in the making of commercial real estate loans to deny a loan or other financial assistance to a person applying therefor for the purpose of purchasing, constructing, improving, repairing or maintaining a dwelling; or to discriminate against him in the fixing of the amount, interest rate, duration or other terms or conditions of such loan or other financial assistance because of the race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, creed, age, sexual orientation, marital status or military status of such person or of any person associated with him in connection with such loan or other financial assistance or the purposes of such loan or other financial assistance or of the present or prospective owners, lessees, tenants or occupants of the dwelling or dwellings in relation to which such loan or other financial assistance is to be made or given, provided that nothing contained in this section shall impair the scope or effectiveness of the exception contained in § 145-6 .
Athens Village Code § 145-4 prohibits lenders—including banks, insurance companies, and similar financial institutions—from refusing or altering the terms of a real estate loan based on a borrower's protected characteristics, such as race, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, or military status. The rule also bars lenders from using the protected characteristics of people associated with the loan, or of current or prospective occupants of the property, as a basis for loan decisions. An exception referenced in § 145-6 of the same code limits the provision's reach in certain defined circumstances.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners in Athens Village who seek financing for purchasing, constructing, or improving a dwelling should be aware that § 145-4 governs how lenders must treat applicants and associated parties. Compliant lenders evaluate loan applications—including amount, interest rate, and duration—on criteria unrelated to protected characteristics of the applicant or the property's occupants. Landlords who believe a financing decision was influenced by such characteristics may have recourse under this provision, subject to the exception in § 145-6.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Athens Village Code § 145-4, tenants and prospective occupants have a stake in this rule because lenders are prohibited from using the characteristics of a property's current or future residents as a factor in loan decisions. If a tenant believes that financing tied to their dwelling was denied or conditioned on discriminatory grounds, they may consider raising the issue with a local fair housing organization or the village's relevant enforcement body. Reviewing § 145-6 alongside this provision is important, as it contains an exception that may affect the scope of available 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 November 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation