White Plains, N.Y., Mun. Code ch. 4-19 § 4-19-23

Prohibited acts

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

Operative Text

White Plains, N.Y., Mun. Code ch. 4-19 § 4-19-23
(a) No person which receives or expects to receive pecuniary gain from the sale or rental of real property shall:
(1) Refuse to sell, lease, rent, furnish services, or otherwise deny or withhold any housing accommodations constructed or to be constructed in the city to any person, or refuse to negotiate for the said lease or rental of housing accommodations or otherwise make unavailable to any person, by reason of the race, creed, color, national origin, sex, handicap or marital status of such person.
(2) Represent to any person that any dwelling is not available for inspection, sale or rental when such dwelling is in fact so available.
(3) Discriminate against any person because of his race, creed, color, national origin, sex, handicap or marital status in the terms, conditions or privileges of the sale, rental or lease of any housing accommodations constructed or to be constructed.
(4) Discriminate in the furnishing of information, services or facilities to any person in connection with the sale or rental of real property because of the race, creed, color, national origin, sex, handicap or marital status of such person.
(5) Print or circulate or cause to be printed or circulated any statement, advertisement or publication, or use any form or application for the purchase, lease or rental of any housing accommodation, or make any record or inquiry in connection with the prospective purchase, lease or rental of any housing accommodations which expresses, directly or indirectly, any limitation, specification or discrimination as to race, creed, color, national origin, sex, handicap or marital status, or any intent to make any such limitation, specification or discrimination.
(6) Display listings or show prospective purchasers or renters units for sale or lease on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap or marital status, or display listings or show prospects units for sale or lease in areas of the city based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, handicap or marital status.
(7) Induce a real estate transaction from which any such person may benefit financially, by representing that a change has occurred or will or may occur in the composition of the block, neighborhood or area with respect to the race, creed, color, national origin, sex, handicap or marital status of the owners or occupants in the block, neighborhood or area in which the real property is located, and to represent, directly or indirectly, that this change will or may result in undesirable consequences in the block, neighborhood or area in which the real property is located, including but not limited to the physical deterioration of dwellings, the lowering of property values, an increase in criminal or anti-social behavior, or a decline in the quality of schools or other facilities.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any real estate broker or dealer or any agent or employee of a real estate broker or dealer to influence or attempt to influence any other person who purports or represents himself to be a prospective purchaser, seller, occupant or tenant or landlord of real property to purchase, sell or rent or to refrain from purchasing or renting or selling real property by referring to the race, creed, color, national origin, sex, handicap or marital status of occupants or prospective occupants of other real property in the area.
(c) No bank, trust company, savings bank, savings and loan association or other lending institution, insurance company, finance company or financial services company, to whom application is made for financial assistance for the purchase, acquisition, construction, improvement, repair or maintenance of housing on behalf of such person shall discriminate against any applicant because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, handicap or marital status in the granting, withholding, extending or renewing or in the fixing of the amount, interest rate, duration or other terms or conditions of any such financial assistance; nor shall any such institution refuse financial assistance because such housing accommodation lies in a particular area of the city, if real property is located within the geographic area ordinarily served by such bank or within the community within which the principal or any branch office of such bank is located. For the purpose of this section, discrimination shall include refusal to make loans, differentiating in the type or terms of loans, including interest rates, charges to buyer or seller, duration and amount of loans, influencing appraisals in connection with loans or delaying of loan applications.
(d) No person shall aid, abet, incite, compel or coerce the doing of any of the acts forbidden under this article, or attempt to do so. This section may be enforced by appropriate civil actions.
(e) No person engaged in any of the prohibited acts as hereinabove defined shall retaliate or discriminate against any person because such person has filed a complaint, testified or assisted in any proceeding under this article.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

White Plains Municipal Code ch. 4-19 § 4-19-23 establishes a broad set of prohibited acts in the sale, rental, and financing of housing. No person or entity that profits from real estate transactions may refuse, misrepresent availability, apply different terms, or publish discriminatory statements based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, handicap, or marital status. The provision also bars blockbusting tactics, discriminatory steering by real estate brokers, discriminatory lending practices, and any retaliation against someone who files a complaint or participates in a proceeding under this article.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 14, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Property owners and managers who operate in White Plains should be aware that ch. 4-19 § 4-19-23 prohibits a wide range of discriminatory conduct across every stage of a housing transaction. Compliant operators apply uniform criteria when evaluating applicants, advertise units without language that signals any preference or limitation based on protected characteristics, and provide consistent services and information to all prospective and current tenants regardless of their protected status. Operators also ensure that any agents or employees acting on their behalf do not engage in steering, blockbusting, or any other conduct the provision identifies as prohibited.

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

For Tenants

Under White Plains Mun. Code ch. 4-19 § 4-19-23, tenants and prospective renters have the right to be free from discriminatory refusals, misrepresentations about availability, unequal terms, and steering based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, handicap, or marital status. The provision also protects anyone who files a complaint or assists in a proceeding from retaliation, and it explicitly allows enforcement through civil actions. Individuals who believe they have experienced a violation may consider raising the provision as a defense in a housing proceeding, filing a complaint with a local or state civil rights body, or consulting a tenant-rights organization familiar with White Plains fair housing law.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

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Related Rules

§ 1
Definitions
§ 3
Functions, powers and duties of commission
§ 4
Unlawful practices

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