Chicago Heights — Ch. 23 Human Relations § 23-59
Withholding dwellings
Operative Text
It shall be unlawful to represent to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age that any dwelling is not available for inspection, sale, or rental when such dwelling is in fact available.
Chicago Heights § 23-59 prohibits a form of housing discrimination sometimes called 'steering' or 'withholding.' Under this rule, anyone involved in the sale or rental of a dwelling may not falsely tell a prospective buyer or renter that a unit is unavailable when it actually is — if that false statement is made because of the person's race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age. The provision treats such misrepresentation as an unlawful act regardless of whether the dwelling is ultimately sold or rented to someone else.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating in Chicago Heights should ensure that availability information communicated to prospective tenants or buyers is accurate and consistent across all inquiries, as § 23-59 prohibits telling any applicant a unit is unavailable when it is not — if that statement is tied to a protected characteristic. Compliant operators typically maintain uniform written records of unit availability and apply the same disclosure practices to every prospective renter or buyer. Training leasing staff to understand that misrepresenting availability on the basis of protected class status constitutes an unlawful act under this section is a common compliance practice.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Chicago Heights § 23-59, you have the right not to be falsely told that a dwelling is unavailable because of your race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial or marital status, national origin, or age. If you believe a landlord or seller misrepresented a unit's availability for one of these reasons, general enforcement paths include filing a complaint with the Chicago Heights Human Relations Commission or a relevant fair housing organization. Consulting a tenant-rights organization familiar with local human relations ordinances can help you understand what documentation or steps are typically involved in pursuing such a claim.
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.
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