Lynwood — Ch. 54 Human Relations § 54-21

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Accessible , when used with respect to the public and common use areas of a building containing covered multifamily dwellings, means that the public or common use areas of the building can be approached, entered, and used by individuals with physical handicaps.
Accessible route means a continuous unobstructed path connecting accessible elements and spaces in a building or within a site that can be negotiated by a person with a severe disability using a wheelchair and that is also safe for and usable by people with other disabilities. A route that complies with the appropriate requirements of the American National Standards Institute's ANSI A117.1-2003 or a comparable standard is an accessible route.
Adjudicative agency means the agency designated by the corporate authorities of the municipality to conduct hearings and adjudicate charges of violations of this article.
Administering agency means the agency designated by the corporate authorities of the municipality to investigate, conciliate, receive and initiate complaints pertaining to violations of this article.
Administrator means the person designated by the corporate authorities of the municipality to administer the provisions of this article.
Affirmative marketing means attempting to attract all prospective buyers and renters with special efforts to attract persons of a race or national origin least likely to apply through the normal operation of the market place.
Aggrieved party/person includes any person who claims to have been injured by a discriminatory housing practice or believes that he will be injured by a discriminatory housing practice that is about to occur.
ANSI A117.1 2003 means the 2003 edition of the American National Standard for buildings and facilities providing accessibility and usability for physically handicapped people.
Board means the fair housing review board.
Broker includes any person authorized to perform an action on behalf of another person regarding any matter related to the sale or rental of dwellings, including offers, solicitations or contracts and the administration of matters regarding such offers, solicitations or contracts or any residential real estate-related transaction.
Building means a structure, facility, or portion thereof that contains or serves one or more dwelling units.
Building entrance on an accessible route means an accessible entrance to a building that is connected by an accessible route to public transportation stops, to accessible parking and passenger loading zones, or to public streets or sidewalks, if available.
Charge means an allegation contained in a complaint.
Civil rights violation includes and shall be limited to only those specific acts set forth in divisions 2 and 3 of this article.
Common use areas means rooms, spaces or elements inside or outside of a building that area made available for the use of residents of a building or the guests thereof. These areas include hallways, lounges, lobbies, laundry rooms, refuse rooms, mailrooms, recreational areas and passageways among and between buildings.
Complainant means a party/person, including the administering agency, who files a complaint.
Complaint means the document filed by a complainant with the administering agency.
Commission means the human relations commission.
Community residence means a group home or specialized residential care home serving unrelated persons with disabilities.
Conciliation means the attempted resolution of issues raised by a complaint, or the investigation of such charge, through informal negotiations involving the aggrieved party, the respondent and the administering agency.
Conciliation agreement means a written agreement setting forth the resolution of the issues in conciliation.
Controlled substance means any drug or other substance, or immediate precursor included in the definitions in the Federal Controlled Substances Act, 21 USC 802 et seq.
Covered multifamily dwelling means a building consisting of four or more units if such buildings have one or more elevators, and ground floor units in other buildings consisting of four or more units.
Discriminate means to treat any person differently from others because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, sex ancestry, marital status, physical or mental handicap, familial status or unfavorable military discharge.
Dwelling means any building structure or portion thereof which is occupied as, or designed or intended for occupancy as, a residence by one or more families or unrelated individuals, and any vacant land which is offered for sale or lease for the construction or location thereon of any such building, structure or portion thereof.
Elderly person means a person 55 years of age or older.
Entrance means any access point to a building or portion of a building used by residents for the purpose of entering.
Exterior means all areas of the premises outside of an individual dwelling unit.
Familial status means one or more individuals who have not attained the age of 18 years being domiciled with: (1)
A parent or a person having legal custody of such individuals;
(2) The designee of such parent or other person having such custody, with the written permission of such parent or other person; or
(3) Persons who are pregnant or in the process of securing legal custody of any individual who has not attained the age of 18.
Financial institution means any bank, credit union, insurance company, mortgage banking company, savings and loan association, or other entity or organization which makes or purchases loans or provides other financial assistance and which operates or has a place of business in the state.
Gender means sex, the status of being male or female.
Handicap means, with respect to a person, a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities, a record of such an impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment.
Hearing means that part of an adjudicative proceeding that involves the submission of evidence, either by oral presentation or written submission, and includes the submission of briefs and oral arguments on the evidence and applicable law.
Hearing agency means the agency designated by the corporate authorities of the municipality to conduct hearings on, and adjudicate the question of, article violations.
Housing accommodation includes any improved or unimproved real property or part thereof which is used or occupied or is intended, arranged or designed to be used or occupied as the home or residence of one or more individuals.
Housing for older persons means: (1)
All housing that is provided under state and federal programs for elderly persons as defined by the specific programs, providing U.S. HUD approval has been secured;
(2) Housing that is "intended for, and solely occupied by persons 62 years of age of older"; and
(3) Communities in which at least 80 percent of all units are occupied by one person 55 years of age or older, if the existence of significant facilities and services specifically designed to meet the physical and social needs of older persons can be documented.
Interior means the spaces, parts, components or elements of an individual dwelling unit.
Lease includes any sublease, assignment, or rental and any contract to enter into any of the foregoing.
Loan includes, but is not limited to, the providing of funding for consideration that is: (1)
Sought for the purpose of purchasing, constructing, improving, repairing, or maintaining a housing accommodation;
(2) Sought for any commercial or industrial purposes; or
(3) Secured by residential real estate.
Marital status means the legal status of being married, single, separated, divorced or widowed.
Modification means any change to the public or common use areas of a building or any change to a dwelling unit.
National origin means the place in which a person or one of his ancestors was born.
Offer means and includes every attempt by means of written or oral communication to present for acceptance or rejection, to hold out or proffer, to make a proposal to or to exhibit real estate that may be taken or received with the intention of ultimately entering a real estate transaction.
Owner means any person who holds legal or equitable title to, or owns any beneficial interest in, any real estate, or who holds legal or equitable title to shares of, or any beneficial interest in, an equity that owns any real estate.
Panic peddling means for profit, to induce or attempt to induce a person to sell or rent a dwelling by representation regarding the entry or prospective entry into the neighborhood of a person of a particular race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, or handicap.
Person includes one or more individuals, corporations, partnerships, associations, labor organizations, legal representatives, mutual companies, joint-stock companies, trusts, unincorporated organizations, trustees, or trustees in cases under title 11 of the United States Code.
Person in the business of selling or renting dwellings means any person that: (1)
Within the preceding 12 months has participated as principal in three or more transactions involving the sale or rental of any dwelling or any interest therein;
(2) Within the preceding 12 months, has participated as agent, other than in the sale of his own personal residence, in providing sales or rental facilities or sales or rental services in two or more transactions involving the sale or rental of any dwelling or interest therein; or
(3) Is the owner of any dwelling designed or intended for occupancy by, or occupied by, five or more families.
Physical or mental impairment includes: (1)
Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genital-urinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or
(2) Any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities.
Premises means the interior or exterior spaces, parts, components or elements of a building, including individual dwelling units and the public and common use areas of a building.
Protected classes includes all persons legally protected against discrimination.
Public contract includes every contract to which the state, any of its political subdivisions or any municipal corporation is a party.
Public use areas means interior or exterior rooms or spaces of a building that are made available to the general public. Public use may be provided at a building that is privately or publicly owned.
Real estate transaction means the purchase, sale or fee or equitable title to, or beneficial interest in, or rental or lease of, any real property; or an option to do any of the foregoing, or any negotiation, listing, contract, or agreement in connection therewith. The term "real estate transaction" also includes the brokering or appraising of residential real property and the making or purchasing of loans or providing other financial assistance for purchasing, constructing, improving, repairing or maintaining a dwelling or secured by residential real estate.
Real property includes buildings, structures, real estate, lands, tenements, leaseholds, interests in real estate cooperatives, condominiums, and hereditaments, corporeal and incorporeal, or any interest therein.
Religion includes all aspects of religious observance and practice, as well as belief; and all aspects of religious nonobservance, nonpractice and nonbelief.
Respondent means: (1)
The person or other entity against whom a discriminatory housing practice has been alleged in a complaint; and
(2) Any other person or entity identified in the course of investigation and notified as required under division 7 of this article.
Sex means gender, the status of being male or female.
Solicit or solicitation means any communication by or on behalf of a real estate agent with the owner or occupant of a dwelling: (1)
That is intended to induce the sale or rental of such dwelling;
(2) That is intended to offer or promote services in connection with the sale, rental or listing of such dwelling; and
(3) Which is carried out by means of:
a. In-person contacts at the dwelling;
b. Written material mailed or delivered directly to the dwelling, such as direct mail, leaflets or pamphlets; or
c. Telephone contacts with owners or occupants of the dwelling.
For purposes of this article, the term "solicit" or "solicitation" shall not refer to communication carried out by means of print or electronic media of general circulation, such as a newspaper, radio, television, or the yellow pages.
Steering means influencing or attempting to influence by words or acts the choice or location of housing of a prospective purchaser, occupant, or tenant, in connection with viewing, buying, leasing, or occupying real estate based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, or handicap so as to limit choice or promote or maintain segregation.
To rent includes to lease, to sublease, to let, and to otherwise grant for consideration the right to occupy premises not owned by the occupant.
Varying terms includes, but is not limited to, the following practices: (1)
Requiring a greater down payment than is usual for the particular type of a loan involved;
(2) Requiring a shorter period of amortization than is usual for the particular type of loan involved;
(3) Charging a higher interest rate than is usual for the particular type of loan involved; and
(4) Under-appraising of real estate or other items of property offered as security.