Chillicothe — Ch. 50 Human Rights § 50-107
Limitations on restrictive covenants
Operative Text
(a) Every provision in an oral agreement or a written instrument relating to real property which purports to forbid or restrict the conveyance, encumbrance, occupancy or lease thereof on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin is void. (b) Every condition, restriction or prohibition, including a right of entry or possibility of reverter, which directly or indirectly limits the use or occupancy of real property on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin is void. This section shall not apply to a limitation of use on the basis of religion of real property held by a religious institution or organization or by a religious or charitable organization operated, supervised, or controlled by a religious institution or organization, and used for religious or charitable purposes. (c) It is unlawful to insert in a written instrument relating to real property a provision that is void under this section or to honor or attempt to honor such a provision in the chain of title. State Law reference-- Similar provisions, 775 ILCS 5/3-105.
Chillicothe Ch. 50 § 50-107 renders void any clause in a real estate agreement—oral or written—that attempts to restrict the sale, transfer, encumbrance, occupancy, or lease of property based on race, color, religion, or national origin. Conditions, restrictions, or reversionary interests that limit property use on those same grounds are equally void, with a narrow exception for religious institutions using property for religious or charitable purposes. It is also unlawful to insert such a void provision into any real estate document or to act on one that already appears in a chain of title.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Chillicothe Ch. 50 § 50-107, compliant property owners and managers ensure that no deed, lease, covenant, or other real estate instrument they prepare or execute contains any restriction tied to race, color, religion, or national origin. Operators conducting title reviews generally flag and disregard any such language already present in a chain of title rather than honoring or enforcing it. Inserting or acting on a void restrictive covenant is itself an unlawful act under this section, separate from the underlying covenant being unenforceable.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Chillicothe Ch. 50 § 50-107 gives tenants and prospective occupants a clear legal basis to challenge any lease clause, occupancy restriction, or covenant that attempts to limit housing access on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin—such provisions are void by operation of law. Individuals who believe a landlord has inserted or attempted to enforce such a restriction may consider raising the violation as a defense in a housing proceeding or filing a complaint under the Chillicothe Human Rights chapter. Tenant-rights organizations and fair housing agencies can help individuals understand what options may be available when a discriminatory covenant is encountered.
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