Chicago Heights — Ch. 23 Human Relations § 23-39
Coverage and exemptions
Operative Text
Nothing in this article, other than the prohibition against discriminatory advertising ( section 23-58 ) shall: (a) Apply to the rental, lease, or occupancy of a room in an owner-occupied single-family dwelling, provided the owner does not own or have any interest in more than three (3) single-family houses at any one time; (b) Prohibit a religious organization, association, or society, or any nonprofit 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 dwellings which it owns or operates for other than commercial purposes to persons of the same religion, or from giving preference to such persons, unless membership in such religion is restricted because of race, color, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age; (c) Prohibit a private club not in fact open to the public, which as an incident to its primary purpose or purposes provides lodgings which it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose, from limiting the rental or occupancy of such lodgings to its members and their guests or from giving preference to its members; (d) Prohibit the rental or sale of a dwelling on the basis of age or disability when such dwelling is authorized, approved, financed, or subsidized in whole or in part by a unit of state, local, or federal government; (e) Limit the applicability of any reasonable local, state, or federal restrictions regarding the maximum number of occupants permitted to occupy a dwelling; (f) Require the rental or sale of a unit to any person convicted of the illegal manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance; (g) With regard to discrimination based on familial status, apply with respect to housing for older persons as defined in section 23-37 of this article; (h) Prohibit financial institutions from considering sound underwriting practices in contemplation of any loan to any person. Such practices shall include the following: (1) The willingness and the financial ability of the borrower to repay the loan. (2) The market value of any real estate or other item of property proposed as security for any loan. (3) Diversification of the financial institution's investment portfolio. (i) Prohibit a person engaged in the business of furnishing appraisals of real property from taking into consideration factors other than race, color, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age. (j) Prohibit affirmative marketing activities.
Chicago Heights Ch. 23 § 23-39 carves out specific situations where the broader fair-housing and anti-discrimination rules in the article do not apply. These exemptions cover scenarios such as owner-occupied single-family homes (with ownership limits), religiously affiliated housing, private clubs, government-authorized age- or disability-restricted housing, and standard financial underwriting practices. Notably, the prohibition on discriminatory advertising found in § 23-58 continues to apply in all circumstances, even where an exemption otherwise exists.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 23-39, property owners and managers should understand that certain housing arrangements—such as renting a room in an owner-occupied single-family home where the owner holds no interest in more than three such properties—fall outside the article's general anti-discrimination requirements. Operators of religiously affiliated or private-club housing may also qualify for limited exemptions, provided they meet the specific conditions outlined in § 23-39. Regardless of which exemption may apply, compliant operators continue to avoid discriminatory advertising, since § 23-58's prohibition on such advertising is explicitly preserved across all exemptions.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 23-39 defines the boundaries of Chicago Heights' fair-housing protections, so tenants should be aware that certain housing situations—like rooms in small owner-occupied homes or units in qualifying religious or private-club facilities—may not be covered by the article's full anti-discrimination rules. However, the ban on discriminatory advertising under § 23-58 applies universally, meaning tenants who encounter discriminatory ads may still have recourse even when a housing unit itself falls under an exemption. Tenants who believe their situation may not be covered by an exemption, or who have questions about their rights under § 23-39, can consult a local tenant-rights organization or the Chicago Heights Human Relations office for general guidance.
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