[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the City of Meriden 5-1-1978. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Equal opportunities — See Ch. 101.
The purpose of this chapter is to affirmatively provide for fair housing and equal opportunity for every local citizen without regard to race, color, national origin, sex or religion, and further to provide equal opportunity to all of the citizens of Meriden in accordance with the requirements of all federal and state laws and executive orders related to housing.
This chapter is consistent with and meets the requirements and objectives of the United States Constitution, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, Executive Order 11063 and any other applicable federal or state laws relative to equal opportunity in housing.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BLOCKBUSTING
The practice of inducing owners of real property to sell or list real property for sale because of the actual or rumored advent into a neighborhood of a member of a racial, religious or ethnic group.
HOUSING ACCOMMODATIONS
Any real property permitted for human habitation within the City.
LENDING INSTITUTION
Any bank, insurance company, savings and loan association or any other person regularly engaged in the business of lending money or guaranteeing loans.
PERSON
Includes one or more individuals, partnerships, associations, corporations, organizations, legal representatives, employees, agents, anyone acting for or on behalf of any person or other legal entities.
REAL PROPERTY
Real estate, lands, tenements and/or hereditaments.
UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION
Includes those unlawful practices and acts specified herein.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person:
(1) 
To refuse to sell, rent, lease, assign or sublease or otherwise deny any housing accommodation to any person or persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, ethnic origin, sex or marital status.
(2) 
To refuse to negotiate for the sale, rent, lease, assignment or sublease of any housing accommodation to any person or persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, ethnic origin, sex or marital status.
(3) 
To represent that any housing accommodation is not available for inspection, sale, lease, sublease, assignment or rent or to withhold information about any housing accommodation which is, in fact, available for inspection, sale, lease, sublease, rent or assignment or to otherwise deny or withhold any housing accommodation to any person or persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, ethnic origin, sex or marital status.
(4) 
To discriminate against any person or persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, ethnic origin, sex or marital status in the terms, conditions or privileges of the sale, rental, lease, assignment or sublease of any housing accommodation.
(5) 
To directly or indirectly advertise that the purchase or rental by persons of any particular race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, ethnic origin, sex or marital status is unwelcome, objectionable, unacceptable or not solicited.
(6) 
To use any form of application for purchase, rental, lease, assignment, sublease or financing of any housing accommodation which inquires into the race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry or ethnic origin of any person.
(7) 
To engage in the practice of blockbusting, including but not limited to the following:
(a) 
To induce, directly or indirectly, or attempt to induce, directly or indirectly, the sale or listing for sale of real property by representing that an adverse change has occurred or will or may occur with respect to the racial, religious or ethnic composition of the block, neighborhood or area in which the property is located.
(b) 
To induce, directly or indirectly, or attempt to induce, directly or indirectly, the sale or listing for sale of real property by representing that the presence or anticipated presence of persons of any particular race, religion or national origin in the area will or may result in:
[1] 
The lowering of property values.
[2] 
An increase in the criminal or antisocial behavior in the area.
[3] 
A decline in the quality of the schools serving the area.
(c) 
To make any misrepresentations concerning the listing for sale or the anticipated listing for sale or the sale of real property in the area for the purpose of inducing or attempting to induce the sale or listing for sale of real property.
(d) 
To make any representation to any prospective purchaser that any block, neighborhood or area has, will or might undergo an adverse change with respect to the religious, racial or ethnic composition of the block, neighborhood or area for the purpose of discouraging the purchase of property in a particular area.
(e) 
To place a sign purporting to offer for sale any property that is not in fact offered for sale.
(f) 
To advertise for sale or rental property which is nonexistent or which is not actually for sale or rental.
(g) 
To engage in or hire or conspire with others to commit acts or activities of any nature, the purpose of which is to coerce, cause panic, incite unrest or create or play upon fear with the purpose of inducing or attempting to induce the sale or listing for sale of real property.
(h) 
To engage in any economic reprisal or any other form of intimidation against any person because that person has filed a complaint, testified, assisted or participated in any manner in any investigation, proceeding or conference under the terms of this chapter.
(i) 
To aid, abet, incite, compel or coerce any person to engage in any of the practices forbidden by this chapter or to obstruct or prevent any person from complying with the provisions of this chapter.
B. 
No person, bank or lending institution shall discriminate against any applicant because of the race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, ethnic origin, sex or marital status of such applicant or the prospective occupants or tenants of such housing accommodation in the granting, extending or renewing the rates, terms or conditions of any such loan.
[Amended 9-15-1980; 1-21-1997]
The Human Rights Advocate shall be responsible for the enforcement of this chapter.