S.C. Code § 31-21-10
Short title
This chapter is known and may be cited as the South Carolina Fair Housing Law.
South Carolina Code Title 31, Chapter 21 — Fair Housing Law
South Carolina · statute · S.C. Code tit. 31, ch. 21 · 15 active provisions
Provisions
S.C. Code § 31-21-20
State policy
It is the policy of this State to provide, within constitutional limitations, for fair housing throughout the State.
S.C. Code § 31-21-30
Definitions
For purposes of this chapter: (1) "Commission" means the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission. (2) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission. (3) "Covered multi-family dwellings" means: (a) buildings consisting of four or more units if the buildings have one or more elevato…
S.C. Code § 31-21-40
Discrimination in relation to sale or rental of property
It is unlawful: (1) 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, religion, sex, familial status, or national origin; (2) to discriminate against any person in t…
S.C. Code § 31-21-50
Discrimination in relation to membership or participation in multiple listing service, real estate brokers' organization, or related service, organization, or facility
It is unlawful to deny any person access to, or membership or participation in, any multiple-listing service, real estate brokers' organization, or other service, organization, or facility relating to the business of selling or renting dwellings or to discriminate against him in the terms or conditions of the access, m…
S.C. Code § 31-21-60
Discrimination in relation to residential real estate-related transactions
(A) It is unlawful for any person or other entity whose business includes engaging in residential real estate-related transactions to discriminate against any person in making available such a transaction, or in the terms or conditions of the transaction, because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status…
S.C. Code § 31-21-70
Application and exceptions
(A) Nothing in Section 31-21-40 or 31-21-60 applies to rooms or units in dwellings containing living quarters occupied or intended to be occupied by no more than four families living independently of each other, if the owner actually maintains and occupies one of the living quarters as his residence. (B) Nothing in Sec…
S.C. Code § 31-21-80
Interference with the exercise of any right under this chapter
It is unlawful to coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any person in the exercise of, or on account of his having aided or encouraged any other person in the exercise of, any right granted under this chapter.
S.C. Code § 31-21-90
Administration of chapter
(A) The commission shall administer the provisions of this chapter. (B) The commission may delegate any of its functions, duties, and powers to its employees including functions, duties, and powers with respect to investigating, conciliating, hearing, determining, ordering, certifying, reporting, or otherwise acting as…
S.C. Code § 31-21-100
Powers of commission
The commission has the power to: (1) promulgate regulations necessary for the enforcement of this chapter which may not exceed the requirements of the 1988 Fair Housing Amendments Act (PL 100-430) and any subsequent amendments to it; (2) make studies with respect to the nature and extent of discriminatory housing pract…
S.C. Code § 31-21-110
Investigations by commission; subpoenas
(A) In conducting an investigation, the commission shall have access at all reasonable times to premises, records, documents, individuals, and other evidence or possible sources of evidence and may examine, record, and copy the materials and take and record the testimony or statements of persons as are reasonably neces…
S.C. Code § 31-21-120
Complaints; process and handling; conciliation; effect of local laws; civil action
(A) A person who claims to have been injured by a discriminatory housing practice or who believes that he may be injured by a discriminatory housing practice that is about to occur may file a complaint with the commission. Complaints must be in writing and shall contain information and be in a form required by the comm…
S.C. Code § 31-21-130
Investigator's report and recommendation; dismissal of or hearing on complaint; civil action; amending of complaint; subpoenas; hearing by commission; opinion and order; review; court appeals; enforcement orders
(A) If not sooner resolved, the investigator, upon completion of his investigation, shall submit to the commissioner a statement of the facts disclosed by his investigation and recommend either that the complaint be dismissed or that a panel of commission members be designated to hear the complaint. The commissioner, a…
S.C. Code § 31-21-140
Civil action; damages
(A) A civil action must be commenced within one year after the alleged discriminatory housing practice has occurred. However, the court shall continue a civil case brought pursuant to this section from time to time before bringing it to trial if the court believes that the conciliation efforts of the commission or loca…
S.C. Code § 31-21-150
Coordination regarding complaint filed with multiple agencies
Before accepting any complaint under this chapter, the commission shall determine if the complainant has filed a similar complaint with the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation of the Federal Reserve System, the United States Department of Housing and…