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The Florida Senate

2014 Florida Statutes

Title XLIV CIVIL RIGHTS
Chapter 760 DISCRIMINATION IN THE TREATMENT OF PERSONS; MINORITY REPRESENTATION Entire Chapter
SECTION 23
Discrimination in the sale or rental of housing and other prohibited practices.
F.S. 760.23
760.23 Discrimination in the sale or rental of housing and other prohibited practices.—
(1) It is unlawful to refuse to sell or rent after the making of a bona fide offer, to refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or otherwise to make unavailable or deny a dwelling to any person because of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, familial status, or religion.
(2) It is unlawful to discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection therewith, because of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, familial status, or religion.
(3) It is unlawful to make, print, or publish, or cause to be made, printed, or published, any notice, statement, or advertisement with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, familial status, or religion or an intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.
(4) It is unlawful to represent to any person because of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, familial status, or religion that any dwelling is not available for inspection, sale, or rental when such dwelling is in fact so available.
(5) It is unlawful, for profit, to induce or attempt to induce any person to sell or rent any dwelling by a representation regarding the entry or prospective entry into the neighborhood of a person or persons of a particular race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, familial status, or religion.
(6) The protections afforded under ss. 760.20-760.37 against discrimination on the basis of familial status apply to any person who is pregnant or is in the process of securing legal custody of any individual who has not attained the age of 18 years.
(7) It is unlawful to discriminate in the sale or rental of, or to otherwise make unavailable or deny, a dwelling to any buyer or renter because of a handicap of:
(a) That buyer or renter;
(b) A person residing in or intending to reside in that dwelling after it is sold, rented, or made available; or
(c) Any person associated with the buyer or renter.
(8) It is unlawful to discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection with such dwelling, because of a handicap of:
(a) That buyer or renter;
(b) A person residing in or intending to reside in that dwelling after it is sold, rented, or made available; or
(c) Any person associated with the buyer or renter.
(9) For purposes of subsections (7) and (8), discrimination includes:
(a) A refusal to permit, at the expense of the handicapped person, reasonable modifications of existing premises occupied or to be occupied by such person if such modifications may be necessary to afford such person full enjoyment of the premises; or
(b) A refusal to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, or services, when such accommodations may be necessary to afford such person equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling.
(10) Covered multifamily dwellings as defined herein which are intended for first occupancy after March 13, 1991, shall be designed and constructed to have at least one building entrance on an accessible route unless it is impractical to do so because of the terrain or unusual characteristics of the site as determined by commission rule. Such buildings shall also be designed and constructed in such a manner that:
(a) The public use and common use portions of such dwellings are readily accessible to and usable by handicapped persons.
(b) All doors designed to allow passage into and within all premises within such dwellings are sufficiently wide to allow passage by a person in a wheelchair.
(c) All premises within such dwellings contain the following features of adaptive design:
1. An accessible route into and through the dwelling.
2. Light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats, and other environmental controls in accessible locations.
3. Reinforcements in bathroom walls to allow later installation of grab bars.
4. Usable kitchens and bathrooms such that a person in a wheelchair can maneuver about the space.
(d) Compliance with the appropriate requirements of the American National Standards Institute for buildings and facilities providing accessibility and usability for physically handicapped people, commonly cited as ANSI A117.1-1986, suffices to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (c).

State agencies with building construction regulation responsibility or local governments, as appropriate, shall review the plans and specifications for the construction of covered multifamily dwellings to determine consistency with the requirements of this subsection.

History.—s. 5, ch. 83-221; s. 2, ch. 84-117; s. 2, ch. 89-321.