Earlville — Ch. 22 Human Relations and Social Services § 22-20
Definitions
Operative Text
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: Decent, sanitary, healthful standard living quarters means housing that is in sound, clean, and weathertight condition in conformance with applicable local, state, and national codes. Discriminate means any difference expressed in any way toward a person in the terms of the sale, exchange, lease, rental or financing for housing accommodation or real property in regard to the sale, exchange, rental, lease or finance because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, military status, familial status, gender, creed, or physical or mental disability of the person. Financial institution means any person, institution or business entity that loans money to persons and receives as security for the loans a secured interest in the real property of the borrower. Housing accommodation means any building, structure, or portion thereof that is used or occupied, maintained, arranged or designed to be used or occupied as a home, residence or sleeping place of one or more human beings, or any real estate so used, designed or intended for the use. Owner means any person who holds legal or equitable title to, or owns any beneficial interest in, any real property, or who holds legal or equitable title to shares of, or holds any beneficial interest in any real estate cooperative which owns any real property or housing accommodations. Real estate broker means any person, partnership, association, corporation or agent thereof who, for a fee or other valuable consideration, offers, sells, purchases, exchanges or rents, or negotiates for the sale, purchase, exchange or rental of a housing accommodation or real property of another, or collects rent for the use of a housing accommodation or real property of another. Real property means any real estate, vacant land, building, structure, or housing accommodations within the corporate limits of the city.
Section 22-20 of Earlville's Ch. 22 establishes the foundational vocabulary used throughout the article on human relations and social services. It defines key terms — including 'discriminate,' 'housing accommodation,' 'owner,' and 'real property' — that govern how the article's anti-discrimination and housing standards rules are interpreted and applied. Notably, 'discriminate' under this section covers differential treatment in housing transactions based on characteristics such as race, religion, age, disability, and familial status, among others. These definitions set the interpretive boundaries for all other provisions in the article.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating within Earlville should familiarize themselves with the definitions established in Ch. 22 § 22-20, as these terms directly shape the scope of obligations and prohibitions throughout the article. The definition of 'owner' is broad, encompassing those holding legal title, equitable title, or beneficial interests — including cooperative shareholders — meaning a wide range of property stakeholders may be covered. Compliant operators generally ensure that housing accommodations meet the 'decent, sanitary, healthful standard living quarters' threshold defined here, and that no differential treatment occurs in leasing or rental transactions on any of the protected bases listed in the 'discriminate' definition.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants in Earlville benefit from the protective scope of the definitions in Ch. 22 § 22-20, which broadly define 'discriminate' to include differential treatment in rental or lease transactions based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, disability, and other characteristics. The wide definition of 'housing accommodation' means most residential living arrangements — from single rooms to multi-unit buildings — fall within the article's protections. Tenants who believe they have experienced treatment inconsistent with these definitions may consider documenting the conduct, reviewing the broader article for applicable enforcement provisions, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization 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.
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