Ashton — Ch. 38 Human Relations § 38-36
Blockbusting
Operative Text
It is a civil rights violation for any person to: (1) Solicitation. Solicit for sale, lease, listing or purchase any residential real estate on the grounds of loss of value due to the present or prospective entry into the vicinity of the property involved of any persons of any particular race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, immigration status, source of income, or disability. (2) Statements. Distribute, or cause to be distributed, written material or statements designed to induce any owner of residential real estate to sell or lease the owner's property because of any present or prospective changes in the race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, immigration status, source of income, or disability of residents in the vicinity of the property involved. (3) Creating alarm. Intentionally create alarm, among residents of any community, by transmitting communications in any manner, including a telephone call whether or not conversation thereby ensues, with a design to induce any owner of residential real estate to sell or lease property because of any present or prospective entry into the vicinity of the property involved of any persons of any particular race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, immigration status, source of income, or disability. State Law reference-- Similar provisions, 775 ILCS 5/3-103.
Ashton Ch. 38 § 38-36 prohibits a practice known as blockbusting, which involves attempting to manipulate property owners into selling or leasing by stoking fears about demographic changes in a neighborhood. The rule covers three distinct tactics: soliciting real estate transactions based on predicted loss of value tied to who is moving nearby, distributing written materials designed to alarm owners about neighborhood composition, and intentionally spreading alarming communications—including phone calls—to pressure owners into selling or leasing. All of these tactics are classified as civil rights violations when they exploit characteristics such as race, religion, national origin, immigration status, source of income, disability, or several other protected categories.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating in Ashton should be aware that under Ch. 38 § 38-36, any solicitation, written communication, or other outreach that ties a real estate transaction to the demographic makeup or anticipated demographic changes of a neighborhood constitutes a civil rights violation. Compliant operators ensure that their marketing, outreach, and communications are based on objective property and market factors rather than the protected characteristics of current or prospective residents in the area. Real estate professionals working on behalf of property owners are equally subject to this prohibition, so operators generally review the conduct of any agents or representatives acting on their behalf.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Ashton Ch. 38 § 38-36 establishes that residents and property owners have a right to be free from manipulative, fear-based communications designed to destabilize their neighborhood along demographic lines. If a tenant or property owner believes they have received solicitations, written materials, or alarming communications that appear designed to exploit protected characteristics of people in the area, that conduct may constitute a civil rights violation under this provision. General enforcement paths can include filing a complaint with a local human relations or civil rights body, raising the violation in relevant legal proceedings, or consulting a tenant-rights or fair-housing organization for guidance on available options.
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 In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation