This year at the National Association of Realtors Conference in New Orleans, there will be a historic vote to add language about sexual orientation to Article 10 of the Realtor Code of Ethics. For the change to take effect, the vote must be approved by NAR’s Delegate Body, which meets Nov. 8 at the REALTORS® Conference & Expo in New Orleans.

If the Delegate Body passes the change, Article 10 will read:

REALTORS® shall not deny equal professional service to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, or sexual orientation.

REALTORS® shall not be parties to any plan or agreement to discriminate against a person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, or sexual orientation.

REALTORS® in their real estate employment practices shall not discriminate against any person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, or sexual orientation.

The board of directors’ vote puts NAR one step ahead of Congress, which is considering a change to the Fair Housing Act. The Fair and Inclusive Housing Rights Act of 2010 would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. It would be the first change to the law since 1988, when handicap and familial status were added as protected classes.

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