Trenton — Ch. 20 Human Relations and Social Services § 20-19
Declaration of policy
Operative Text
(a) It is the policy of the city to ensure equal opportunity to all residents, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, creed, ancestry, national origin or physical or mental disability to live in decent, sanitary, healthful, standard living quarters. (b) It is the policy of the city that no owner, lessee, sub-lessee, assignee, managing agent, or other person having the right to sell, rent, lease (or otherwise control) any housing accommodations or real property within the city, or any agent of these shall refuse to sell, rent, lease, or otherwise deny to or withhold from any person or group of persons such housing accommodations or real property because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed, or disability of such person or discriminate against any person because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed or disability in the conditions, terms, privileges of the sale, rental or lease of any housing accommodation or real property or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith. (c) Relocation shall be carried out in a manner that will promote maximum choice within the community's total housing supply; lessen racial, ethnic, and economic concentrations; and facilitate desegregation and racially inclusive patterns of occupancy and use of public and private facilities.
Trenton Ch. 20 § 20-19 establishes the city's foundational fair-housing policy, declaring that all residents have an equal right to decent, sanitary, and healthful housing regardless of race, color, religion, gender, creed, ancestry, national origin, sex, or physical or mental disability. The provision prohibits anyone who controls housing accommodations or real property — including owners, lessees, managing agents, and their representatives — from refusing to sell, rent, or lease, or from imposing discriminatory conditions, terms, or privileges in housing transactions. It also requires that any relocation activity be conducted in a way that promotes housing choice, reduces racial and economic concentration, and supports desegregation across the city's housing supply.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Trenton Ch. 20 § 20-19, property owners and managing agents are expected to apply consistent, non-discriminatory criteria across all aspects of housing transactions — including advertising, application review, lease terms, and the provision of facilities and services. Compliant operators document their selection standards and apply them uniformly regardless of an applicant's race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, creed, or disability. When relocation of residents is involved, operators generally take steps to expand rather than restrict housing choices and to avoid practices that concentrate residents by race or economic status.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Trenton Ch. 20 § 20-19 affirms that residents have a right to be free from discrimination in the sale, rental, or lease of housing and in the conditions and services attached to that housing, based on characteristics including race, religion, national origin, sex, creed, and disability. Tenants who believe this policy has been violated may consider raising the violation as a defense in a housing proceeding, filing a complaint with a local or state civil rights enforcement body, or reaching out to a tenant-rights or fair-housing organization for guidance on available options. Consulting with a housing attorney or legal aid organization familiar with Trenton's human relations ordinance can help clarify which enforcement paths may be available.
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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