An owner or an owner's agent, contractor, subcontractor, or
employee, in the course of the leasing or offering to lease a rental
unit, is prohibited from requesting information that violates a tenant's
right to privacy, including, but not limited to, residence or citizenship
status or social security number, except as required by law or, in
the case of a social security number, for the purpose of obtaining
information for the qualifications for a tenancy, or not release such
information except as required or authorized by law. This includes
a refusal to accept equivalent alternatives to information or documentation
that does not concern immigration or citizenship status, e.g., an
individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN).