05/21/2014
Messaged to Steven L Frank: Interesting how this Human Rights Ordinance works!? The City gets to decide who & what violates it and wether or not to enforce it. Given the situation that the Landlord changed the terms & conditions to allow the str8 unmarried couple from the Emergency Shelter to cohabitate and then refused the same to us, Mr Fisher saw it as unfair and a violation and hooked me up to talk to Mr. Warnock because even though a complaint wouldn't help me it did occur and would send a message for future reference. Mr Warnock didn't get it or agree. In any case, now that I know how the Ordinace works and is enforced does not bode well for the gay community ;-o
When is Refusal-to-Rent Illegal Housing Discrimination?
"People often wrongly assume that any discrimination by a landlord is illegal. “To discriminate” means simply to distinguish among available choices. Some of these distinctions are lawful; others are not.
Unlawful discrimination is that which is not based upon merit but upon a person’s being one of a particular group to which a landlord, for whatever reason, does not want to rent..."
Federal law defines discrimination as:
•refusing to rent or sell
>•setting different terms and conditions for sale or rental;<
•falsely denying that housing is available for rent or sale;
•publishing discriminatory ads
What is Housing Discrimination?
How do you know if you have been the victim of illegal housing discrimination? Housing discrimination comes in many forms and is often subtle. Some signs of possible discrimination include:
A refusal to sell, rent, or show available housing
>Requiring different terms and conditions for identical dwellings, i.e. charging higher rent, security deposit for different tenants<
Being told that the dwelling isn’t right for you or your family
Being told that housing isn’t available in an apartment with a “For Rent” sign
Housing advertisements that say “no kids” or “adults only”
A refusal to make a reasonable accommodation or allow a modification to make the dwelling accessible for a person with a disability
Harassment or intimidation
Offering non‐standard and unfavorable terms in the purchase of a home or property insurance
Terms of availability that change between a phone contact and an in‐person visit
Being steered to racially segregated neighborhoods during your home search
Excessive or inappropriate questioning upon requesting information about a dwelling
http://www.civilrights.org/fairhousing/laws/housing-discrimination.html
§ 37.05 UNLAWFUL PRACTICES: SALE OR RENTAL OF PROPERTY.
In connection with any of the transactions set forth in this section, which affect any housing accommodation on the open market, or in connection with any public sale, purchase, exchange, rental or lease of any house accommodation, it shall be a prohibited, unlawful practice for a person, owner, financial institution, real estate broker, real estate salesperson, or any representative of the above to:
(A) Refuse to sell, purchase, exchange, rent or lease, or otherwise deny to or withhold any housing accommodation from a person because of his or her disability, age, s*x, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, s*xual orientation, gender identity, familial status, marital and/or parental status and place of birth;
>(B) Discriminate against a person because of that person's disability, age, s*x, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, s*xual orientation, gender identity, familial status, marital and/or parental status and place of birth in the terms, conditions, or privileges of the sale, purchase, exchange, rental, or lease of any housing accommodation or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith;< http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Kentucky/covngton/cityofcovingtonkentuckycodeofordinances?f=templates%24fn%3Ddefault.htm%243.0%24vid%3Damlegal%3Acovington_ky
