Massena, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 152 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 152-4
Discrimination in the financing of housing
Operative Text
It shall be unlawful within the Village of Massena 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 there 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, or national origin 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 § 152-6 .
Section 152-4 of Massena's Code of Ordinances prohibits lenders — including banks, savings institutions, insurance companies, and similar financial enterprises — from denying or discriminating in the terms of real estate loans based on a borrower's race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. The rule also bars discrimination based on the protected characteristics of people associated with the loan, or of the current or prospective owners, tenants, or occupants of the property involved. A limited exception referenced in § 152-6 is preserved by the provision.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners in Massena who seek financing for purchasing, constructing, improving, repairing, or maintaining a dwelling are protected under § 152-4 from discriminatory lending practices. Compliant lenders evaluate loan applications — including amount, interest rate, duration, and other terms — solely on legitimate financial criteria rather than on protected characteristics of the applicant or associated parties. Landlords who believe a lender has applied discriminatory criteria to a financing application may wish to document the terms offered and consult resources familiar with fair lending and local ordinance enforcement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 152-4 of Massena's Code of Ordinances, tenants and prospective occupants of a dwelling have a recognized interest in fair lending practices, since lenders are prohibited from discriminating based on the protected characteristics of current or prospective tenants when making real estate loans. This means a lender cannot use the identity or background of a building's tenants as a basis for denying or worsening the terms of a property loan. Tenants who believe this provision has been violated may explore filing a complaint with a local or state fair housing agency, or reach out to a tenant-rights organization for general guidance on available enforcement paths.
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.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation