Ashland — Ch. 20 Human Relations § 20-36
Refusals to deal in lending
Operative Text
It shall be an unlawful housing practice and a violation of this article for any lending institution to refuse to negotiate for, enter into or perform any agreement to lend or guarantee the loan of funds for the purchase, sale, construction, lease, rehabilitation, improvement, renovation or repair of any dwelling or housing because of the race, color, religion, gender, creed, ancestry, national origin, or physical or mental disability of any party to such agreement or of any member of the family of any such party, or of the residents of the area in which such dwelling or housing is located. State Law reference-- Fairness in Lending Act, 815 ILCS 120/1 et seq.
Ashland Ch. 20 § 20-36 makes it an unlawful housing practice for a lending institution to decline to negotiate or complete a loan agreement for housing-related purposes — such as purchase, construction, or repair — based on the race, color, religion, gender, creed, ancestry, national origin, or disability of any party to the agreement or of the people living in the neighborhood where the property sits. The rule covers both individual characteristics and area demographics, addressing practices sometimes called redlining. It applies to any stage of the lending process, from initial negotiations through final performance of the agreement.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers who work with lending institutions on financing for purchase, construction, rehabilitation, or repair should be aware that under Ashland Ch. 20 § 20-36, lenders are prohibited from factoring protected characteristics — including race, disability, or national origin — into their decisions. Compliant operators generally document that financing decisions for their properties are evaluated on neutral, non-discriminatory criteria. Awareness of this provision can be relevant when evaluating whether a lender's conduct in a transaction meets fair-housing standards.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Ashland Ch. 20 § 20-36 gives individuals the right to be free from discriminatory refusals by lenders when seeking financing for housing, regardless of their race, religion, disability, national origin, or other protected characteristics. If a lender appears to have declined to negotiate or complete a loan based on such characteristics — or based on the neighborhood's demographics — that conduct may constitute a violation of this article. Tenants and prospective buyers can explore options such as filing a complaint under Ashland's human relations ordinance, contacting a local fair-housing organization, or reaching out to a tenant-rights group for general information about available remedies.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
Rules and statutes cited by this regulation
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.