Ashland — Ch. 20 Human Relations § 20-37
Coverage
Operative Text
This article shall apply, respectively, to every real estate agent who, within the village, performs any function as such real estate agent but does not maintain an office or place of doing business within the village, and this article applies to every real estate agent and lending institution who maintains an office of place of doing business within the village; provided, however, that the provisions of this article shall not be so construed as to prohibit a real estate broker or real estate agent, on behalf of the owner, from inquiring into and reporting upon qualifications of any prospective buyer or tenant with respect to limitations or exclusions other than those of race, color, religion, gender, creed, ancestry, national origin, or physical or mental disability.
Ashland's Ch. 20 Human Relations § 20-37 establishes which real estate agents and lending institutions fall under the article's fair-housing rules. It covers agents who operate within the village even if they have no local office, as well as agents and lenders who do maintain a local office or place of business. The article permits agents to evaluate prospective buyers or tenants on legitimate qualifications, but expressly prohibits using race, color, religion, gender, creed, ancestry, national origin, or physical or mental disability as a basis for any such inquiry or report.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 20-37, real estate agents and lending institutions involved in village transactions — whether or not they maintain a physical office in Ashland — are subject to the article's requirements. Compliant operators screen prospective buyers or tenants only on neutral, non-protected qualifications such as financial capacity or rental history, and they avoid any inquiry or reporting that references the protected characteristics enumerated in this section. Maintaining clear, documented, and consistently applied screening criteria helps demonstrate that evaluations are grounded in permissible factors.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 20-37 establishes that the fair-housing protections in Ashland's Ch. 20 Human Relations article extend to real estate agents and lenders operating in the village, giving prospective buyers and renters a defined scope of coverage. If a tenant or applicant believes they were evaluated or denied housing based on race, color, religion, gender, creed, ancestry, national origin, or physical or mental disability, this provision is a relevant starting point for understanding whether the article applies to the party involved. Tenants and applicants can explore options such as filing a complaint with the appropriate local or state fair-housing authority or consulting a tenant-rights organization for guidance on next steps.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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