Phoenix — Ch. 50 Human Relations § 50-21

Discrimination prohibited

In Force
Verified 11/10/2026 · Next check 12/10/2026
PhoenixProtected Classes (State/Local)

Operative Text

Phoenix — Ch. 50 Human Relations § 50-21
No owner, lessee, or sublessee of real estate, real estate agent, lending institution, or agent of any of the foregoing, shall discriminate against any person because of race, color, sex, religion, creed, physical or mental handicap, or national origin, or the race, color, sex, religion, creed, physical or mental handicap, or national origin of the person's friends, guests, or associates, in regard to any real estate transaction. Without limiting the foregoing, it is a violation of this article for any person to: (1)
Publish or circulate, or cause to be published or circulated any written materials or oral statements or announce a policy or use any form of application for the purchase, lease, rental or financing of real estate or make any record or inquiry in connection with the prospective purchase, rental or lease of real estate which express any limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, creed, physical or mental handicap, or national origin.
(2) Deceive, or overcharge any person for real estate in the village or to make any discrimination against any person based on race, color, religion, sex, creed, physical handicap, or national origin as to the conditions or privileges of any kind relating to the sale, rental, lease or occupancy of real estate.
(3) Discriminate based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, physical or mental handicap, or national origin or participate in discrimination in connection with borrowing or lending money, guaranteeing loans, accepting mortgages or otherwise obtaining or making available funds for the purchase, acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repairs or maintenance of any real estate in the village.
(4) Solicit or to enter into an agreement for the sale, lease or listing for sale, or lease, of any real estate within the village on grounds of loss of value due to the present or prospective entry into any neighborhood of any person or persons of any particular race, color, religion, sex, creed, physical or mental handicap, or national origin.
(5) Distribute or cause to be distributed any written material or make any oral statement designed to induce any owner of any real estate within the village to sell or lease because of any present or prospective changes in the race, color, religion, sex, creed, physical or mental handicap or national origin of persons on any given street, block neighborhood or community.
(6) Make any misrepresentations concerning the race, color, religion, sex, creed, physical or mental handicap, or national origin of persons in a locality or any part thereof for the purpose of inducing or discouraging a listing for sale or rental or the sale or rental of any real estate.
(7) Refuse to show, sell or rent or otherwise to make unavailable real estate because of race, color, religion, sex, creed, physical or mental handicap or national origin.
(8) Refuse or fail to offer to show to any person who has specified his needs, and affirmed his ability to finance the purchase or lease of real estate, records identifying all available real estate reasonable meeting the specifications.
(9) Discriminate in the sale of insurance in connection with real estate or the appraisal of real estate or to differentiate in lending in connection with mortgage loans to be secured by real estate in the village because of race, color, religion, sex, creed, physical or mental handicap, or national origin of the persons living in the village or in the particular neighborhood of the property to be used as security for loans or because of prospective or present changes in the categories of the persons living in the village or in the neighborhood of the property to be used as security for the sale mortgage loan. For the purpose of this subsection, differentiation in lending shall include:
a. Refusal to make loans;
b. Differentiation in the type of loans including interest rates, charges to buyer or seller, duration and amount of loan;
c. Influencing appraisals in connection with loans; or
d. Delaying processing of loan applications.
(10) Intentionally create any alarm or fear of the residents of a neighborhood community by transmitting in any manner, including telephone, any warnings or threats or other communications designed to induce owners to sell or lease real estate because of any present or prospective entry into the community of persons of a particular race, color, religion, sex, creed, physical or mental handicap, or national origin.
(11) Enter into a listing agreement that prohibits the sale or rental of real estate to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, creed, physical or mental handicap, or national origin.
(12) Act or undertake to act as a real estate broker or real estate salesman, with respect to any property, the disposition of which is prohibited to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, creed, physical or mental handicap, or national origin.
(13) Volunteer information on the race, color, religion, sex, creed, physical or mental handicap, or national origin of the residents of a community or part thereof in any manner that reasonably would be expected to influence a person to restrict or limit his consideration of real estate for purchase or lease.
(14) Influence or attempt to influence by any words or acts a prospective seller, purchaser, occupant, landlord or tenant of real estate, in connection with viewing, buying or leasing of real estate, so as to promote, or tend to promote, the continuance or maintenance of racially and religiously segregated housing, or so as to retard, obstruct or discourage racially integrated housing on or in any street, block, neighborhood or community.
(15) Make differential treatment against any person to his detriment because of race, color, religion, sex, creed, physical or mental handicap, or national origin.
(16) Pay a commission or any consideration for acts or services performed in violation of this article.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Phoenix City Code § 50-21 broadly prohibits discrimination in real estate transactions—including sales, rentals, leases, financing, insurance, and appraisals—on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, creed, physical or mental handicap, or national origin. The rule covers not only direct refusals to deal but also a wide range of related conduct, such as publishing discriminatory advertisements, engaging in blockbusting or panic-selling tactics, steering prospective buyers or renters toward or away from neighborhoods, and making discriminatory misrepresentations. The prohibition extends to discrimination based on the protected characteristics of a person's friends, guests, or associates, and applies to owners, lessees, sublessees, real estate agents, and lending institutions alike.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on November 9, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Phoenix Ch. 50 § 50-21, property owners and managers operating in Phoenix are expected to apply consistent, non-discriminatory criteria across all stages of a real estate transaction—from advertising and showing units to setting lease terms and processing applications. Compliant operators generally avoid any written or oral communications, application forms, or listing agreements that express preferences or limitations based on protected characteristics, and they refrain from practices such as steering, blockbusting, or differential pricing. Owners should also be aware that paying a commission or other consideration for services performed in violation of § 50-21 is itself a prohibited act under the ordinance.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Phoenix Ch. 50 § 50-21 gives individuals broad protections against discriminatory treatment in any real estate transaction, including being shown available properties, negotiating lease terms, and accessing financing or insurance. If a tenant or prospective renter believes they have experienced conduct prohibited by § 50-21—such as being steered away from certain units, receiving different terms, or being subjected to intimidating communications—they may consider filing a complaint with the Phoenix Office of Human Relations or a relevant fair housing agency, or consulting a tenant-rights organization familiar with local fair housing law. Federal fair housing protections may also apply in parallel, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development accepts complaints that may overlap with the conduct described in § 50-21.

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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Related Rules

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Definitions
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Functions, powers and duties of commission
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Unlawful practices

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Fetched:Nov 9, 2026, 09:57 PM UTC