1. The provisions of sections 216.8 and 216.8A shall not apply to:

 a. Any bona fide religious institution with respect to any qualifications it may impose based on religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity, when the qualifications are related to a bona fide religious purpose unless the religious institution owns or operates property for a commercial purpose or membership in the religion is restricted on account of race, color, or national origin.
 b. The rental or leasing of a dwelling in a building which contains housing accommodations for not more than two families living independently of each other, if the owner resides in one of the housing accommodations.
 c. The rental or leasing of less than four rooms within a single dwelling by the occupant or owner of the dwelling, if the occupant or owner resides in the dwelling.
 d. Discrimination on the basis of familial status involving dwellings provided under any state or federal program specifically designed and operated to assist elderly persons, as defined in the state or federal program that the commission determines to be consistent with determinations made by the United States secretary of housing and urban development, and housing for older persons. As used in this paragraph, “housing for older persons” means housing communities consisting of dwellings intended for either of the following:

 (1) For eighty percent occupancy by at least one person fifty-five years of age or older per unit, and providing significant facilities and services specifically designed to meet the physical or social needs of the persons and the housing facility must publish and adhere to policies and procedures which demonstrate an intent by the owner or manager to provide housing for persons fifty-five years of age or older.
 (2) For and occupied solely by persons sixty-two years of age or older.
 e. The rental or leasing of a housing accommodation in a building which contains housing accommodations for not more than four families living independently of each other, if the owner resides in one of the housing accommodations for which the owner qualifies for the homestead tax credit under section 425.1.
 f. Discrimination on the basis of sex involving the rental, leasing, or subleasing of a dwelling within which residents of both sexes would be forced to share a living area.

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Terms Used In Iowa Code 216.12

  • Commission: means the Iowa state civil rights commission created by this chapter. See Iowa Code 216.2
  • Familial status: means one or more individuals under the age of eighteen domiciled with one of the following:
     (1) A parent or another person having legal custody of the individual or individuals. See Iowa Code 216.2
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Gender identity: means a gender-related identity of a person, regardless of the person's assigned sex at birth. See Iowa Code 216.2
  • Institution: means a birthing hospital. See Iowa Code 252A.2
  • Person: means one or more individuals, partnerships, associations, corporations, legal representatives, trustees, receivers, and the state of Iowa and all political subdivisions and agencies thereof. See Iowa Code 216.2
  • property: includes personal and real property. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Sexual orientation: means actual or perceived heterosexuality, homosexuality, or bisexuality. See Iowa Code 216.2
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • United States: includes all the states. See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. The exceptions to the requirements of sections 216.8 and 216.8A provided for dwellings specified in subsection 1, paragraphs “b”, “c”, and “e”, do not apply to advertising related to those dwellings.