Stephenson County, IL Chapter 234 Fair Housing Policy

[HISTORY: Adopted by the County Board of Stephenson County 6-18-2020 by Ord. No. 20-06-2234. Amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 234-1 Declaration of policy.

A. Equal opportunity housing. In furthering the policy of the state as expressed in the Constitution and other laws and in order that the safety and general welfare, peace and health of all the inhabitants of Stephenson County may be insured, it is hereby declared the policy of the County to assure equal opportunity to all residents, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed, or physical or mental handicap to live in decent, sanitary, healthful, standard living quarters.

B. Discrimination. It is the policy of the County that no owner, lessee, sublessee, assignee, managing agent, or other person, having the right to sell, rent, lease (or otherwise control) any housing accommodation and/or real property within the County, or any agent of these, shall refuse to sell, rent, lease, or otherwise deny to or withhold from any person or group of persons such housing accommodations and/or real property because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed, or physical or mental handicap of such person or persons or discriminate against any person or persons because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed or physical or mental handicap in the conditions, term, privileges of the sale, rental or lease of any housing accommodations and/or real property or in the furnishing of facilities and/or services in connection therewith.

§ 234-2 Prohibited acts.

Stephenson County supports the cultivation of a diverse community and the enriched values such communities create, and believes adoption of a Fair Housing Policy enhances equal opportunity, promotes fairness, and is in the best interests of the public health, safety, and general welfare of its residents. In support of this endeavor, the County vehemently opposes the following acts or omissions, and strongly believes these acts or omissions are in derogation of this policy and its purpose:

A. Discrimination by any owner of real estate, lessee, sublessee, real estate broker or salesman, financial institution or employee of the financial institution, advertiser, or agent of any or all of the foregoing, against any person or persons because of their race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed, or physical or mental handicap with regard to the sale, exchange or rental, or any dealing concerning any housing accommodation and/or real property.

B. In addition to the foregoing, the County opposes discrimination by any real estate broker or employee thereof, owner or other person, or financial institution dealing with Housing or real property in the County:

(1) Against any person in the availability of or the price, terms, conditions or privileges of any kind relating to the sale, rental, lease, or occupancy of any housing accommodation or real property in the County or in the furnishing of any facilities or services in connection therewith.

(2) In publishing or circulating, or causing to be published or circulated any notice, statement or advertisement, or to announce a policy, or to use any form of application, for the purchase, lease, rental or financing of real property, or to use any record of inquiry in connection with the prospective purchase, rental or lease of such real estate, which expresses directly or indirectly any discrimination as to race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed or physical or mental handicap of any person.

(3) In connection with lending money, guaranteeing loans, accepting mortgages or otherwise obtaining or making available funds for the purchase, acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair or maintenance of any housing accommodation and/or real property.

(4) In soliciting for sale, lease, or listing for the sale or lease, of any housing accommodation and/or real property on the ground of loss of value because of the present or prospective entry into any neighborhood of any person or persons of any particular race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed, or physical or mental handicap.

(5) In distributing or causing to be distributed, written material or statements designated to induce any owner of any housing accommodation and/or real property to sell and /or lease his property because of any present or prospective change in the race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed, or physical or mental handicap of persons in the neighborhood.

(6) In making any misrepresentation concerning the listing for sale or the anticipated listing for sale of any housing accommodations and/or real property for the purpose of inducing or attempting to induce the sale or listing for sale of any housing accommodation and/or real property by representing that the presence or anticipated presence of persons of any particular race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed, or physical or mental handicap in the area will or may result in the lowering of property values in the block, neighborhood, or area in which the property is located.

(7) For an owner to solicit any real estate broker to sell, rent or otherwise deal with such owner's housing accommodations and/or real property with any limitation on its sale based on race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed, physical or mental handicap.

(8) For an owner to refuse to sell, rent, or otherwise deal with any housing accommodation and/or real property because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, creed, or physical or mental handicap of the proposed buyer or tenant.