Champaign — Ch. 17 Human Rights § 17-57
Exceptions
Operative Text
(a) Nothing in this section shall apply to a private club or other establishment not in fact open to the public, except to the extent that the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages or accommodations of the establishment are made available generally to the customers or patrons of the establishment so long as membership in the club or establishment is not based on color, national origin or race. (b) It shall not be unlawful to discriminate on the basis of sex in the provision of facilities which are distinctly private in nature, such as restrooms, shower rooms, bath houses, health clubs or other similar facilities.
Section 17-57 of Champaign's Chapter 17 Human Rights ordinance carves out two narrow exceptions to the broader anti-discrimination rules. First, private clubs or establishments genuinely closed to the general public are not covered by the section, unless their benefits are made broadly available to customers or patrons—and even then, the exception does not apply if membership is restricted by color, national origin, or race. Second, the provision allows differential treatment based on sex when it comes to facilities that are distinctly private in nature, such as restrooms, shower rooms, bathhouses, and health clubs.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 17-57, operators of housing-related or public-accommodation establishments should understand that claiming a 'private club' exemption requires that the establishment genuinely not be open to the public, and that any membership criteria cannot be based on color, national origin, or race. Operators of facilities with sex-separated spaces—such as restrooms or shower rooms—may maintain those distinctions under the distinctly private facilities exception stated in § 17-57(b). Compliant operators generally document the basis for any claimed exception and ensure that no other protected-class discrimination is masked by an overly broad reading of these narrow carve-outs.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 17-57 defines the limits of the exceptions to Champaign's human rights protections, which means tenants and patrons retain full anti-discrimination rights in any establishment that is genuinely open to the public or whose membership criteria involve race, color, or national origin. If a landlord or establishment operator claims a private-club or sex-facility exception that seems inapplicable to your situation, the Champaign Human Relations Commission is the local body that administers Chapter 17 complaints. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with local ordinances can help explain how § 17-57's exceptions have been interpreted and what complaint or defense options generally exist.
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 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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