12. a. It shall be an unlawful discrimination for a municipality, county, or other local civil or political subdivision of the State of New Jersey, or an officer, employee, or agent thereof, to exercise the power to regulate land use or housing in a manner that discriminates on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, familial status, sex, gender identity or expression, liability for service in the Armed Forces of the United States, nationality, or disability.

b. The provisions of subsection a. of this section may only be enforced by initiating an action in Superior Court pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection a. of section 12 of P.L.1945, c.169 (C. 10:5-13). The restrictions of this subsection shall not apply to claims alleging discrimination in housing owned or managed by a municipality, county or other local civil or political subdivision of the State of New Jersey where such discrimination is otherwise prohibited by section 11 of P.L.1945, c.169 (C. 10:5-12).

L.1992, c.146, s.12; amended 2003, c.180, s.13; 2006, c.100, s.10; 2017, c.184, s.4; 2019, c.436, s.4.