Brighton, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 163 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 163-5
Declaration of rights
Operative Text
A. The opportunity to obtain the use and occupancy of housing accommodations without discrimination because of source of income is hereby recognized and declared to be a civil right. (1) Housing accommodations. (a) It shall be unlawful: [1] To refuse to rent or lease or otherwise to deny to or withhold from any person or group of persons such housing accommodations because of the source of income of such person or persons. [2] To cause to be made any written or oral inquiry or record concerning the source of income of a person seeking to rent or lease any housing accommodation. (b) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for the owner, lessee, sublessee, assignee, or managing agent of, or other person having the right to sell, rent, or lease a housing accommodation, commercial space, constructed or to be constructed, or land, or any agent or employee thereof: [1] To refuse to sell, rent, lease or otherwise to deny to or withhold from any person or group of persons because of the source of income of such person or persons. [2] To discriminate against any person because of his or her source of income in the terms, conditions or privileges of the sale, rental or lease or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith. [3] To print or circulate or cause to be printed or circulated any statement, advertisement or publication, or to use any form of application for the purchase, rental or lease or to make any record or inquiry in connection with the prospective purchase, rental or lease which expresses, directly or indirectly, any limitation, specification or discrimination as to source of income, or any intent to make any such limitation, specification or discrimination. (c) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for any real estate broker, real estate salesman or employee or agent thereof: [1] To refuse to sell, rent or lease any housing accommodation to any person or group of persons or to refuse to negotiate for the sale, rental or lease, of any housing accommodation, to any person because of the source of income of such person or persons, or to represent that any housing accommodation is not available for inspection, sale, rental or lease when in fact it is so available, or otherwise to deny or withhold any housing accommodation, land or commercial space or any facilities of any housing accommodation from any person or group of persons because of the source of income of such person or persons. [2] To print or circulate or cause to be printed or circulated any statement, advertisement or publication, or to use any form of application for the purchase, rental or lease of any housing accommodation, or to make any record of inquiry in connection with the prospective purchase, rental or lease of any housing accommodation, which expresses, directly or indirectly, any limitation, specification, or discrimination as to source of income or any intent to make any such limitation, specification or discrimination. [3] To represent that a change has occurred or will or may occur in the composition with respect to source of income of the owners or occupants in the block, neighborhood or area in which the real property is located, and to represent, directly or indirectly, that this change will or may result in undesirable consequences in the block, neighborhood or area in which the real property is located, including but not limited to the lowering of property values, an increase in criminal or antisocial behavior, or a decline in the quality of schools or other facilities. (2) Civil rights. No person because of source of income shall be subjected to any discrimination in his or her civil rights, or to any harassment in the exercise thereof, by any person or by any firm, corporation, institution located in the Town, or by the Town or any agency of the Town. B. Enforcement. Any person claiming to be aggrieved by an unlawful discriminatory practice shall have a civil cause of action in any court of appropriate jurisdiction for damages and such remedies as may be appropriate.
Brighton, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 163 § 163-5 establishes that access to housing without discrimination based on source of income is a recognized civil right in the Town of Brighton. The provision prohibits landlords, real estate brokers, agents, and others involved in housing transactions from refusing to rent, lease, or negotiate, or from imposing different terms and conditions, on the basis of where a prospective or current tenant's income originates. It also bars discriminatory advertising, application forms, inquiries, and records related to source of income, and it extends these protections to all civil rights more broadly. A person who believes they have been harmed by a violation may bring a civil lawsuit in a court of appropriate jurisdiction seeking damages and other appropriate remedies.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Brighton, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 163 § 163-5, property owners and managing agents generally ensure that their rental applications, advertisements, and screening processes make no reference to — and impose no distinctions based on — an applicant's source of income, whether that income comes from employment, public assistance, housing vouchers, or other lawful sources. Compliant operators typically review their written materials, online listings, and verbal communications to confirm that no language directly or indirectly signals a preference against any income source. Because the provision extends to terms, conditions, and services provided during a tenancy, operators also generally apply lease terms and facility access uniformly regardless of how a resident's income is derived.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Brighton, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 163 § 163-5 gives tenants and housing applicants the right to seek housing and occupy it on equal terms regardless of their source of income, including income from public benefits or housing assistance programs. If a landlord, broker, or agent refuses to rent, quotes different terms, makes discriminatory inquiries, or circulates advertising that signals income-source preferences, that conduct may constitute an unlawful discriminatory practice under this provision. A person who believes they have experienced such discrimination has a civil cause of action in a court of appropriate jurisdiction for damages and other remedies, and may also wish to consult a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office to understand the range of options available to them.
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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