Geneva, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 158 § 158-7
Refusal or failure to list or show property
Operative Text
It is an unfair real estate practice for any real estate broker or real estate agent, salesperson or employee, because of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, familial status, or disability of an occupant, purchaser, prospective occupant, or prospective purchaser, to: A. Refuse or intentionally fail to list or discriminate in listing real property for sale, rent, lease or sublease; B. Refuse or intentionally fail to show a prospective occupant real property listed for sale, rental, lease or sublease; C. Refuse or intentionally fail to accept and/or transmit to an owner any reasonable offer to purchase, lease, rent or sublease real property.
Under Geneva, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 158 § 158-7, real estate brokers, agents, salespersons, and their employees are prohibited from treating people differently in the listing, showing, or offer-transmission process based on protected characteristics such as race, religion, sex, disability, or sexual orientation. The rule covers the full transaction pipeline — from placing a property on the market through presenting offers to the owner — ensuring that no step can be used as a point of discrimination. Any intentional omission or refusal tied to a protected characteristic is treated as an unfair real estate practice under this provision.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners who work with real estate professionals in Geneva should be aware that § 158-7 of the city's Code of Ordinances places affirmative obligations on the brokers and agents they engage. A compliant brokerage operation applies consistent criteria when deciding which properties to list, which prospective tenants or buyers to show those properties to, and which offers to forward to the owner — without regard to any protected characteristic of the parties involved. Owners who suspect their agent is filtering listings, showings, or offers on a discriminatory basis may have grounds to raise a concern under this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 158-7 of Geneva's Code of Ordinances gives prospective renters and buyers protection against being steered away from properties or having their offers withheld based on characteristics like race, national origin, disability, familial status, or sexual orientation. If a real estate professional appears to have refused to show a property or failed to pass along an offer for discriminatory reasons, that conduct may constitute an unfair real estate practice under this provision. Affected individuals can explore filing a complaint with a local or state fair-housing authority, or consult a tenant-rights or fair-housing organization to understand available enforcement paths.
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 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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