| (a) It is unlawful to interfere, coerce, intimidate,
retaliate against, or harass any person in the exercise or enjoyment
of, or on account of that person having exercised or enjoyed, or on
account of that person having aided or encouraged any other person
in the exercise or enjoyment of, any right granted or protected by
the Texas Fair Housing Act.
(b) Prohibited conduct made unlawful under this section
includes, but is not limited to:
(1) coercing a person, either orally, in writing, or
by other means, to deny or limit the benefits provided that person
in connection with the sale or rental of a dwelling or in connection
with a residential real estate-related transaction based on race,
color, disability, religion, sex, national origin, or familial status;
(2) threatening, intimidating, or interfering with
individuals in their enjoyment of a dwelling based on race, color,
disability, religion, sex, national origin, or familial status of
such individuals, or of visitors or associates of such individuals;
(3) threatening an employee or agent with dismissal
or an adverse employment action, or taking such adverse employment
action, for any effort to assist a person seeking access to the sale
or rental of a dwelling or seeking access to any residential real
estate-related transaction, based on the race, color, disability,
religion, sex, national origin, or familial status of that person
or of any person associated with that individual;
(4) intimidating or threatening any person because
that person is engaging in activities designed to make other individuals
aware of, or encouraging such other individuals to exercise rights
granted or protected by this chapter;
(5) retaliating against any person because that person
has made a complaint, testified, assisted, or participated in any
manner in a proceeding under the Texas Fair Housing Act;
(6) retaliating against any person because that person
reported a discriminatory housing practice to a housing provider or
other authority; and
(7) harassing any person because of race, color, religion,
sex, familial status, national origin, or disability:
(A) Quid pro quo harassment. Quid pro quo harassment
refers to an unwelcome request or demand to engage in conduct where
submission to the request or demand, either explicitly or implicitly,
is made a condition related to the sale, rental, or availability of
a dwelling; the terms, conditions, or privileges of the sale or rental,
or the provision of services or facilities in connection therewith;
or the availability, terms, or conditions of a residential real estate-related
transaction. An unwelcome request or demand may constitute quid pro
quo harassment even if a person acquiesces in the unwelcome request
or demand.
(B) Hostile environment harassment. Hostile environment
harassment refers to unwelcome conduct that is sufficiently severe
or pervasive as to interfere with the availability, sale, rental,
or use or enjoyment of a dwelling; the terms, conditions, or privileges
of the sale or rental, or the provision or enjoyment of services or
facilities in connection therewith; or the availability, terms, or
conditions of a residential real estate-related transaction. Hostile
environment harassment does not require a change in the economic benefits,
terms, or conditions of the dwelling or housing-related services or
facilities, or of the residential real-estate transaction.
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