§ 45 — Equal housing

Sec. 45. - Equal housing.

The city council may adopt ordinances prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, handicap or familial status in real estate transactions. Such ordinances may regulate or prohibit any act, practice, activity or procedure related directly or indirectly, to the sale or rental of public or private housing, which affects or may tend to affect the availability, accessibility or desirability of housing on an equal basis to all persons; may provide that the city may apply to the General Court of Justice or the aggrieved person(s) in a private right of action instituted under the ordinance; may apply to the General Court of Justice for appropriate legal and equitable remedies including mandatory and prohibitory injunctions, temporary restraining orders, orders of abatement, actual and punitive damages, the assessment of civil penalties in accordance with the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, [and] attorney's fees to the prevailing party and the court shall have the power to grant such remedies. The ordinance adopted by the city council shall provide that the aggrieved person(s) or respondent has the right to elect to have all claims and issues asserted, after a reasonable cause determination has been made by the human relations director, decided in a civil action commenced and maintained by the city thereby foregoing the city's administrative hearing process.

(Sess. Laws 1981, ch. 608, § 1; Sess. Laws 1989, ch. 864, § 1; Ord. of 1-6-03, § 1)