Discriminatory practices in real estate transactions.
Denver Revised Municipal Code § 28-95
in effectSec. 28-95. - Discriminatory practices in real estate transactions.
(a) Generally. It is a discriminatory practice to do any of the following acts based upon the race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, citizenship, immigration status, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, source of income, military status, protective hairstyle, or disability of any individual:
(1) To interrupt or terminate or refuse to initiate or conduct any transaction in real property or to require different terms for such transaction or to represent falsely that an interest in real property is not available for transaction;
(2) To include in the terms or conditions of a transaction in real property any clause, condition or restriction prohibited by this article;
(3) To refuse to lend money, guarantee a loan, accept a deed of trust or mortgage or otherwise refuse to make funds available for the purchase, acquisition, construction, alteration, rehabilitation, repair or maintenance of real property or impose different conditions on such financing or refuse to provide title or other insurance, relating to the ownership or use of any interest in real property;
(4) To refuse or restrict facilities, service, repairs or improvements for a tenant or lessee;
(5) To communicate, make, print or publish or cause to be communicated, made, printed or published any notice, statement or advertisement with respect to a transaction or proposed transaction in real property or financing related thereto, which notice, statement or advertisement indicates or attempts to indicate any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, citizenship, immigration status, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, source of income, military status, family status, protective hairstyle, or disability of any individual;
(6) To discriminate in any financial transaction involving real property on account of the location of residence or business, i.e., to red-line;
(7) To restrict or attempt to restrict housing choices or to engage in any conduct relating to the sale or rental of a dwelling that otherwise denies the rental or sale or makes it unavailable; or
(8) To refuse to consider any source of income in the same manner as ordinary wage income in connection with an application for rental housing.
(b) Exceptions.
(1) It is not a discriminatory practice for a person to act in conformity with chapter 59 (Zoning) of this Code or any successor zoning code, and nothing in this chapter of the Code shall supersede any provisions of chapter 59 (Zoning) of this Code or any successor zoning code.
(2) This section does not apply to multiple-unit dwellings of not more than two (2) dwelling units where at least one (1) of the units is owner-occupied.
(3) Nothing in this section prohibits group homes, self-care homes for older adults, special-care homes, or other facilities whose use is restricted to older adults or to persons with disabilities.
(4) Nothing contained in section 28-95 prohibits a religious organization or religious entity from limiting the sale, rental, or occupancy of dwellings which it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose to persons of the same religion, or from giving preference to such persons, unless membership in such religion is restricted on account of race, color, or national origin.
(5) The prohibition on discrimination on the basis of source of income set forth in this section shall become effective on January 1, 2019, and shall not apply where a person owns and makes available for renting, subrenting, leasing, or subleasing only a single unit or where the use of a particular type of assistance is prohibited by any applicable federal, state or city law or regulation or pre-existing program requirement.
(Ord. No. 623-90, § 2, 10-15-90; Ord. No. 934-01, § 6, 11-5-01; Ord. No. 788-18, § 3, 8-6-18; Ord. No. 29-20, § 5, 1-27-20; Ord. No. 773-21, § 6, 8-2-21)
Source: City and County of Denver, Revised Municipal Code and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/co/denver/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIREMUCO_CH28HURI_ARTIVPRDIEMHOCOSPPUACEDINHEWESE_S28-95DIPRREESTRFetched: 10/27/2026