The City Council of the City of Pottsville, County of Schuylkill, State
of Pennsylvania, ordains that this chapter shall be known as the "Pottsville
Open Housing Ordinance."
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
COMMERCIAL HOUSING
Housing accommodations held or offered for sale or rent by a real
estate broker, salesman or agency or by any other person pursuant to authorization
of the owner, by the owner himself or by legal representative, but shall not
include any personal residence offered for rent by the owner or lessee thereof
or by a broker, salesman, agent or employee.
HOUSING ACCOMMODATIONS
Includes:
A.
Any building or structure or portion thereto which is used or occupied
or is intended, arranged or designed to be used or occupied as the home, residence
or sleeping place of one (1) or more individuals, groups or families, whether
or not living independently of each other; and
B.
Any vacant land offered for sale or lease for commercial housing.
PERSON
Includes one (1) or more individuals, partnerships, associations,
organizations, corporations, legal representatives, trustees in bankruptcy
or receivers. It also includes, but is not limited to, any owner, lessor,
assignor, builder, manager, broker, agent, employer, lending institution and
all political subdivisions, authorities, boards and commissions.
PERSONAL RESIDENCE
A building or structure containing living quarters occupied or intended to be occupied by no more than two (2) individuals, two (2) groups or families living independently of each other and used by the owner or lessee thereof as a bona fide residence for §
116-3, Discriminatory practices prohibited.
It shall be unlawful discriminatory practice for any persons to:
A. Refuse to sell, lease, finance or otherwise to deny or
withhold commercial housing from any person because of race, color, religious
creed, ancestry, sex or national origin of any prospective owner, occupant
or user of such commercial housing or to any person due to use of a guide
dog because of the blindness of the user.
B. Refuse to lend money, whether or not secured by mortgage
or otherwise, for the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair or
maintenance of commercial housing from any person because of the race, color,
religious creed, ancestry, sex or national origin of any present or prospective
owner, occupant or user of such commercial housing.
C. Discriminate against any person in the terms or conditions
of selling or leasing of any commercial housing or in furnishing facilities,
services or privileges in connection with the ownership, occupancy or use
of any commercial housing because of race, color, religious creed, ancestry,
sex or national origin or any present or prospective owner, occupant or user
of such commercial housing or to discriminate against any person in terms
of leasing any commercial housing or in furnishing facilities, services or
privileges in connection with the occupancy or use of any commercial housing
due to use of a guide dog because of the blindness of the user.
D. Discriminate against any person in the terms or conditions
of any loan of money, whether or not secured by mortgage or otherwise, for
the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair or maintenance of commercial
housing because of the race, color, religious creed, ancestry, sex or national
origin of any present or prospective owner, occupant or user of such commercial
housing.
E. Print, publish or circulate any statement or advertisement
relating to the sale, lease or acquisition of any commercial housing or the
loan of money, whether or not secured by mortgage or otherwise, for the acquisition,
construction, rehabilitation, repair or maintenance which indicates any preference,
limitation, specification or discrimination based upon race, color, religious
creed, ancestry, sex or national origin or to print, publish or circulate
any statement or advertisement relating to the lease of any commercial dwelling
which indicates any preference, limitation, specification or discrimination
based upon use of a guide dog because of the blindness of the user.
Any person, firm or corporation who or which shall violate any of the
provisions of this chapter shall be subject to a fine not exceeding six hundred
dollars ($600.), plus costs of prosecution, and, in default of payment of
said fine or costs, shall be subject to a term of imprisonment not to exceed
ninety (90) days.