Middletown, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 296 § 296-6
Definitions
Operative Text
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated: CITY ATTORNEY Includes the Corporation Counsel and Assistant Corporation Counsel. CITY OF MIDDLETOWN Includes all land in the geographical boundaries of the City and any lands held in a proprietary capacity by the City outside said geographical limits, but no land in incorporated villages. DISABILITY A physical, mental or medical impairment resulting from an anatomical, physiological or neurological condition which prevents the exercise of a normal bodily function. HOUSING ACCOMMODATION Any place in which human habitation is permitted by the City. NATIONAL ORIGIN Includes ancestry. PERSON Includes one or more individuals, partnerships, associations, corporations, legal representatives and successors. The plural shall include the singular and vice versa. STEERING OR CHANNELING OF A PROSPECTIVE PURCHASER The use of a word or phrase or action by a real estate broker or salesperson which is intended to influence the choice of a prospective home or property purchaser on the basis of race, creed, sex, disability or national origin.
Section 296-6 of Middletown, N.Y., Code of Ordinances Chapter 296 establishes the specific meanings of key terms used throughout the article's fair-housing rules. Among the most significant definitions are 'housing accommodation,' which covers any place the City permits for human habitation, and 'steering or channeling,' which describes a real estate broker or salesperson's use of words or actions intended to steer a prospective buyer based on race, creed, sex, disability, or national origin. The definition of 'disability' focuses on physical, mental, or medical impairments arising from anatomical, physiological, or neurological conditions that prevent normal bodily function, while 'national origin' is explicitly extended to include ancestry.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating within Middletown should be familiar with the defined terms in § 296-6, because those definitions set the scope of the fair-housing obligations that follow in Chapter 296. The broad definition of 'housing accommodation'—any place the City permits for human habitation—means that most residential rental properties fall within the article's reach. Compliant operators and their agents take care to avoid any words, phrases, or actions that could constitute 'steering or channeling' a prospective purchaser on the basis of race, creed, sex, disability, or national origin, as that conduct is specifically defined and targeted by this article.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 296-6 of Middletown's Code of Ordinances Chapter 296 defines the terms that underpin the city's fair-housing protections, including what counts as a 'housing accommodation' and what constitutes unlawful 'steering or channeling' by a real estate professional. Tenants and prospective buyers who believe they have been directed toward or away from a property based on race, creed, sex, disability, or national origin—or that their ancestry was used against them under the 'national origin' definition—may have grounds to raise a violation under this article. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid offices familiar with Middletown's local ordinances can help individuals understand how these definitions apply and what complaint or enforcement options may be available.
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 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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