[Ord. No. 2024-3096, 9-24-2024]
The Board of Aldermen of the City of Greenwood, Missouri, hereby declares it to be the public policy of the City of Greenwood, Missouri, to eliminate discrimination and safeguard the right of any person to sell, purchase, lease, rent, or obtain real property without regard to race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. This Chapter shall be deemed an exercise of the Police powers of the City for the protection of the public welfare, prosperity, health, and peace of the people of the City of Greenwood, Missouri.
[Ord. No. 2024-3096, 9-24-2024]
For the purpose of this Chapter the following terms, phrases, words, and their derivations shall have the meaning given herein unless the context otherwise indicates.
PERSON
Shall include any individual, firm, partnership, or corporation.
AGGRIEVED PERSON
Shall include any person who is attempting to provide housing for himself/herself and/or his/her family in the City of Greenwood, Missouri.
DISCRIMINATE
Shall mean distinctions in treatment because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin of any person.
[Ord. No. 2024-3096, 9-24-2024]
A. 
It shall be a discriminatory practice and a violation of this Chapter for any person to:
1. 
Refuse to sell or rent after the making of a bona fide offer, or to refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or otherwise make unavailable or deny, a dwelling to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin of any person.
2. 
Discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection therewith, because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national or origin.
3. 
Make, print, or publish, or cause to be made, printed, or published any notice, statement, or advertisement, with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling hat indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.
4. 
Represent to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, that any dwelling is not available for inspection, sale, or rental when such dwelling is in fact so available.
5. 
For profit, to induce or attempt to induce any person to sell or rent any dwelling by representations regarding the entry or prospective entry into the neighborhood or a person or persons of a particular race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.
6. 
Discriminate in the sale or rental of housing on the basis of a handicap of that buyer or renter; a person residing in or intending to reside in that dwelling after it is so sold, rented, or made available; or any person associated with that buyer or renter. The design and construction of new multi-family dwellings containing four (4) or more units is required to meet certain adaptability and accessibility requirements in accordance with Section 804 of the 1988 Fair Housing Amendments Act.
7. 
Discriminate in the sale or rental of housing on the basis of familial status or because a family has children, exempting certain types of buildings that house older persons (e.g., Section 202 Housing) in accordance with Section 807 of the 1988 Fair Housing Amendments Act.
[Ord. No. 2024-3096, 9-24-2024]
It shall be unlawful for any bank, building and loan association, insurance company, or other corporation, association, firm, or enterprise whose business consists in whole or in part in the making of commercial real estate loans, to deny a loan to a person applying therefore for the purpose of purchasing, constructing, repairing, or maintaining a dwelling, or to discriminate against any person in the fixing of the amount or conditions of such loan, because of the race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin of such person, or of any person therein associated in connection with such financing.
[Ord. No. 2024-3096, 9-24-2024]
A. 
There is hereby created a Fair Housing Committee whose membership shall consist of five (5) members, who shall be appointed by the Mayor with the consent of the Board of Aldermen. Three (3) of the initial members shall serve for a term of one (1) year, or until their successors are appointed and qualified. Two (2) of the initial members shall serve for a term of two (2) years, or until their successors are appointed and qualified. All terms after the initial terms shall be for two (2) years, or until their successors are appointed and qualified. The members shall annually elect a chairperson and such other officers as the members deem necessary. Members shall serve without compensation. The Mayor with the consent of a majority of the members elected to the Board of Aldermen may remove any member of the Committee. A two-thirds (2/3) majority of the Board of Aldermen may remove any member of the Committee without the approval of the Mayor.
B. 
Every complaint of a violation of this Chapter shall be referred to the Fair Housing Committee. The Fair Housing Committee shall forthwith notify the person against whom the complaint is made. The identity of the aggrieved person shall be made known to the person against whom the complaint is made at that time. If the Fair Housing Committee, after investigation, finds there is no merit to the complaint, the same shall be dismissed. If the Fair Housing Committee finds that there is merit in the complaint, in their opinion, then and in that event, the Fair Housing Committee will endeavor to eliminate the alleged discriminatory practice by conference and conciliation.
C. 
If the Fair Housing Committee is unable to eliminate the alleged discriminatory practice by conference and conciliation, then and in that event, the Fair Housing Committee shall forward said complaint to the City Prosecutor for handling. The final determination of whether to prosecute in Municipal Court on the complaint shall be left to the City Prosecutor.
D. 
Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed in such manner as to limit administrative enforcement mechanisms and recourse against alleged discriminatory housing practices through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as specified under Section 810 of the Fair Housing Act as amended effective March 12, 1989, or through the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, as specified in applicable State Statutes.
[Ord. No. 2024-3096, 9-24-2024]
A. 
Any person convicted of a violation of this Chapter shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) or by imprisonment for not more than thirty (30) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
B. 
The City may also seek to have the alleged discriminatory practices abated by an injunction to be maintained in the appropriate Circuit Court of the State of Missouri.