Chicago Heights — Ch. 23 Human Relations § 23-68
Steering (restriction of choice)
Operative Text
It shall be unlawful to restrict or attempt to restrict, because of race, color, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age the choices of a person by words or acts in connection with buying or renting a dwelling so as to perpetuate, or tend to perpetuate, segregated housing patterns, or to discourage or obstruct integrated housing. Prohibited actions under this section, which are generally referred to as unlawful steering practices, include, but are not limited to the following: (a) Discouraging any person from inspecting, purchasing or renting a dwelling because of race, color, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age; or because of the race, color, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age of persons in a community, neighborhood, or development, so as to perpetuate, or tend to perpetuate, segregated housing patterns, or to discourage or obstruct integrated housing. (b) Discouraging the purchase or rental of a dwelling because of race, color, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age by exaggerating drawbacks or failing to inform any person of desirable features of a dwelling or of a community, neighborhood, or development, so as to perpetuate, or tend to perpetuate, segregated housing patterns, or to discourage or obstruct integrated housing. (c) Communicating to any prospective purchaser that he or she would not be comfortable or compatible with existing residents of a community, neighborhood or development because of race, color, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age so as to perpetuate, or tend to perpetuate, segregated housing patterns, or to discourage or obstruct integrated housing. (d) Assigning any person to a particular section of a community, neighborhood or development, or to a particular floor of a building, because of race, color, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status, mental status, national origin, or age so as to perpetuate, or tend to perpetuate, segregated housing patterns, or to discourage or obstruct integrated housing. (e) Failing to inform any person of available housing opportunities in a particular section of a community, neighborhood or development, or in a particular building or particular floor of a building, because of race, color, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age so as to perpetuate, or tend to perpetuate, segregated housing patterns, or to discourage or obstruct integrated housing.
Chicago Heights Ch. 23 § 23-68 prohibits 'steering' — the practice of influencing where a person lives based on protected characteristics such as race, religion, sex, disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age. The rule covers a wide range of conduct, including discouraging someone from viewing a home, exaggerating a neighborhood's drawbacks, implying a buyer or renter would be incompatible with existing residents, or selectively withholding information about available units. The overarching goal of § 23-68 is to prevent housing patterns that perpetuate segregation and to protect integrated housing opportunities.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Chicago Heights Ch. 23 § 23-68, compliant housing providers and their agents present all available units and neighborhoods to prospective buyers and renters without filtering options based on protected characteristics. This means providing consistent, complete information about dwellings and communities to every prospect, avoiding any language or conduct that could suggest a person would be unwelcome in a particular area, and refraining from assigning applicants to specific floors or sections of a building on the basis of protected class. Training staff to recognize the full range of conduct covered by § 23-68 — including subtle acts like selectively emphasizing drawbacks — is a hallmark of a compliant operation.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Chicago Heights Ch. 23 § 23-68 gives prospective and current renters the right to receive equal, unfiltered information about all available housing options regardless of their race, religion, sex, disability, familial or marital status, national origin, or age. If a housing provider or agent appears to be steering — for example, by discouraging you from visiting certain units, implying you wouldn't fit in a neighborhood, or withholding information about available floors or sections — that conduct may constitute a violation of § 23-68. Individuals who believe they have experienced steering can explore options such as filing a complaint with a local human relations or fair housing authority, contacting a tenant-rights or fair housing organization for guidance, or consulting an attorney familiar with fair housing law.
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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