(as amended, 7/8/98)

CHICAGO FAIR HOUSING ORDINANCE
5-8-010 City Policy Generally.

It is hereby declared the policy of the city of Chicago to assure full and equal opportunity to all residents of the city to obtain fair and adequate housing for themselves and their families in the city of Chicago without discrimination against them because of their race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status or source of income.

5-8-020 Discrimination Prohibited.

It is further declared to be the policy of the city of Chicago that no owner, lessee, sublessee, assignee, managing agent, or other person, firm or corporation having the right to sell, rent or lease any housing accommodation, within the city of Chicago, or any agent of any of these, should refuse to sell, rent, lease, or otherwise deny to or withhold from any person or group of persons such housing accommodations because of his race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status or source of income of such person or persons or discriminate against any person because of his race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status or source of income in the terms, conditions, or privileges or the sale, rental or lease of any housing accommodation or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith.

5-8-030 Unfair Housing Practices.

It shall be an unfair housing practice and unlawful for any owner, lessee, sublessee, assignee, managing agent, or other person, firm or corporation having the right to sell, rent, lease or sublease any housing accommodation, within the city of Chicago, or any agent of any of these, or any real estate broker licensed as such:

A. To make any distinction, discrimination or restriction against any person in the price, terms, conditions or privileges of any kind relating to the sale, rental, lease or occupancy of any real estate used for residential purposes in the city of Chicago or in the furnishing of any facilities or services in connection therewith, predicated upon the race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status or source of income of the prospective or actual buyer or tenant thereof.

B. To publish, circulate, issue or display, or cause to be published, circulated, issued or displayed, any communication, notice, advertisement, sign or other writing of any kind relating to the sale, rental or leasing of any residential real property within the city of Chicago which will indicate or express any limitation or discrimination in the sale, rental or leasing of such residential real estate, predicated upon the race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status or source of income of any prospective buyer, lessee or renter of such property.

C. To refuse to sell, lease or rent, any real estate for residential purposes within the city of Chicago because of the race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status or source of income of the proposed buyer or renter.

D. To discriminate or to participate in discrimination in connection with borrowing or lending money, guaranteeing loans, accepting mortgages or otherwise obtaining or making available funds for the purchase, acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair or maintenance of any residential housing unit or housing accommodation in the city of Chicago because of race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status or source of income.

E. To solicit for sale, lease or listing for sale or lease, residential real estate within the city of Chicago on the ground of loss of value due to the present or prospective entry into any neighborhood of any person or persons of any particular race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status or source of income.

F. To distribute or cause to be distributed, written material or statements designed to induce any owner of residential real estate in the city of Chicago to sell or lease his property because of any present or prospective change in the race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status or source of income of persons in the neighborhood.

G. To deliberately and knowingly refuse examination of any listing of residential real estate within the city of Chicago to any person because of race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status or source of income.

H. To construct, place, maintain or install a "For Sale" sign or "Sold" sign of any shape, size or form on premises located in Residential Districts, zoned R1 through R8 under Title 17 of this code. For purposes of this subsection, the "signs" above mentioned are hereby defined to mean any structure, and all parts composing the same, together with the frame, background or supports therefor which are used for advertising or display purposes, or any statuary sculpture, molding or casting used for advertising or display purposes, or any flags, bunting or material used for display or advertising purposes, including, but not limited to, placards, cards, structures or areas carrying the following or similar words: "For Sale," "Sold," "Open House," "New House," "Home Inspection," "Visitors Invited," "Installed by," or "Built by."

5-8-040 Definitions.

Wherever used in this chapter, the terms "age," "religion," "disability," "sexual orientation," "marital status," "parental status," "military discharge status," and "source of income" shall have the same meanings as described in Chapter 2-160 of this code.

5-8-050 Exemptions.

No provision of this chapter shall be construed to prohibit any of the following:

(a) Restricting rental or sale of a housing accommodation to a person of a certain age group (1) when such housing accommodation is authorized, approved, financed or subsidized in whole or in part for the benefit of that age group by a unit of state, local or federal government; or (2) when the duly recorded initial declaration of a condominium of community association limits such housing accommodations to persons above the age of 50; provided, that a person or the immediate family of a person owning or renting a unit in such housing accommodation prior to the recording of the initial declaration shall not be deemed to be in violation of the age restriction as long as the person or the person's immediate family continue to own or reside in the housing accommodation.

(b) A religious organization, association or society, or any not-for-profit institution or organization operated, supervised or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association or society, from limiting the sale, rental or occupancy of a dwelling which it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose to persons of the same religion, or from giving preference to such persons of the same religion, or from giving preference to such persons, unless membership in such religion is restricted on account of race, color or national origin.

(c) Restricting the rental of rooms in a housing accommodation to persons of one sex.

5-8-060 Applicability.

Any owner, lessee, sublessee, assignee, managing agent, or other person, firm or corporation having the right to sell, rent or lease any housing accommodation within the city of Chicago who shall exercise any function of selling, renting, leasing or subleasing any housing accommodation within the city of Chicago shall be deemed subject to all applicable provisions hereof. Any real estate broker who shall exercise any function of a real estate broker within the city of Chicago shall be subject to all applicable provisions hereof.

5-8-070 Complaint Procedure.

Any person aggrieved in any manner by any violation of this chapter may file a written complaint with the Commission on Human Relations. The complaint shall include the name and address of the complainant and of every person against whom the complaint is made, and shall set out the facts giving rise to the complaint. No person shall refuse or fail to comply with any subpoena, order or decision issued in the course of or as a result of an investigation of a complaint.

5-8-120 Severability.

If any section, subdivision, paragraph, sentence or clause of this ordinance is for any reason to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect any remaining portion, section or part thereof.

5-8-130 Violation--Penalty.

Any owner, lessee, sublessee, assignee, managing agent, or other person, firm, corporation, or real estate broker, who shall violate or fail to comply with any of the provisions of this ordinance, as determined by this Commission, shall be punished by a fine in any sum not exceeding $500.00. Nothing herein contained shall be construed so as to preclude any aggrieved person from pursuing such other and further legal and equitable relief to which he may be entitled.

5-8-140 Notice of Conviction.

The Corporation Counsel shall file with the Department of Professional Regulation of the state of Illinois a notice of the conviction of any licensed real estate broker or salesperson found guilty of violating this chapter.