This article is adopted for the purpose of proclaiming
fair housing opportunities for all within the Town of Malta.
Discrimination in the sale or rental of housing,
except as exempted herein, shall be improper in the Town of Malta:
A. To 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, national
origin or sexual orientation.
B. To 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, national origin or
sexual orientation.
C. To 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 that indicates any preference,
limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex,
handicap, familial status, national origin, or sexual orientation
or an intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.
D. To represent to any person because of race, color,
religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin or sexual
orientation that any dwelling is not available for inspection, sale,
or rental when such dwelling is in fact so available.
E. 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 of a person or persons
of a particular race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status,
national origin or sexual orientation.
It shall be improper within the Town of Malta 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 or other financial assistance to a person applying therefor for the purpose of purchasing, constructing, improving, repairing, or maintaining a dwelling; or to discriminate against him in the fixing of the amount, interest rate, duration, or other terms or conditions of such loan or other financial assistance because of the race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin or sexual orientation of such person or of any person associated with him in connection with such loan or other financial assistance, or the purposes of such loan or other financial assistance, or of the present or prospective owners, lessees, tenants, or occupants of the dwelling or dwellings in relation to which such loan or other financial assistance is to be made or given; provided that nothing contained in this section shall impair the scope or effectiveness of the exception contained in §
84-6.
It shall be improper within the Town of Malta
to deny any person access to or membership or participation in any
multiple-listing service, real estate broker's organization, or other
service, organization or facility relating to the business of selling
or renting dwellings, or to discriminate against him in the terms
or conditions of such access, membership, or participation, on account
of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national
origin or sexual orientation.
The authority and responsibility for publicizing
and dealing with this article shall be in the Town of Malta Fair Housing
Officer, which Fair Housing Officer is hereby designated as the Town
of Malta Building and Planning Coordinator.
Violations of this article shall be reported
to the Fair Housing Officer for referral to the Town Board of the
Town of Malta.
The Town Board may, on its own initiative or
on petition, amend, supplement, or repeal the provisions of this article
in conformity with applicable rules and regulations.
In their interpretation and application, the
provisions of this article shall be held to be minimum requirements,
adopted for the promotion of the public health, morals, safety, or
the general welfare. Whenever the requirements of this resolution
are at variance with the requirements of any other lawfully adopted
rules, regulations, or ordinances, the most restrictive, or that imposing
the highest standards, shall govern.
Pursuant to these goals and objectives, the
Town Board of the Town of Malta has appointed the Building and Planning
Coordinator to be the Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Officer for
the Town of Malta.
Nothing herein shall be construed to create
a right of action against the Town of Malta, its officers, agents
and/or employees, or against any other person or governmental entity.