§ 9-26. Unlawful practices.

In connection with any of the transactions set forth in this section which affect any housing accommodation on the open market, or in connection with any public sale, purchase, rental, or lease of any housing accommodation, it shall be unlawful within the county for a person, owner, financial institution, real estate broker, or real estate salesman, or any representative of the above:

(1)

Refusal of business. To refuse to sell, purchase, rent or lease, or otherwise deny to or withhold any housing accommodation from a person, or to evict a person because of his race, color, religion, sex, national origin, place of birth, marital status, ancestry, military status, familial status, or physical disability;

(2)

Offers. To refuse to receive or transmit a bona fide offer to sell, purchase, rent or lease any housing accommodation from or to a person because of his race, color, religion, sex, national origin, place of birth, marital status, ancestry, military status, familial status, or physical disability;

(3)

Eviction; refusal to negotiate. To evict or to refuse to negotiate for the sale, purchase, rental, or lease of any housing accommodation to a person because of his race, color, religion, sex, national origin, place of birth, marital status, ancestry, military status, familial status, or physical disability;

(4)

Misrepresentation of availability; prohibiting inspection. To represent to a person that any housing accommodation is not available for inspection, sale, purchase, rental or lease, when in fact it is so available, or to refuse to permit a person to inspect any housing accommodation, because of his race, color, religion, sex, national origin, place of birth, marital status, ancestry, military status, familial status, or physical disability when such dwelling is in fact available to persons who are financially qualified;

(5)

Inducements; fear techniques. Creating or playing upon fear by representing that the presence or anticipated presence in that area of persons of any particular race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, place of birth, physical handicap, familial status or national origin will or may result in:

a.

The lowering of property values in the area;

b.

The increase in criminal or antisocial behavior in the area; or

c.

A decline in the quality of the schools serving the area;

(6)

Loan establishments. 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 loans or other financial assistance, because of the race, color, religion, sex, national origin, place of birth, marital status, ancestry, military status, familial status, or physical disability 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;

(7)

Business service, organization or facility. To deny any person who is otherwise professionally qualified by state law access to, or membership or participation in, any multiple-listing service, real estate brokers' organizations, or organizations, 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, national origin, place of birth, marital status, ancestry, military status, familial status, or physical disability;

(8)

Denying accommodations. Otherwise to deny to, or withhold any housing accommodation from a person because of his race, color, religion, sex, national origin, place of birth, marital status, ancestry, military status, familial status, or physical disability.

(Ord. No. 85-1, § 3, 1-3-85; Ord. No. 90-12, § 3, 10-16-90; Ord. No. 93-4, § 3, 7-6-93)

State law reference

Unlawful practices, F.S. § 760.23 et seq.

Cross reference

Offenses—Miscellaneous, Ch. 13.