Peoria — Ch. 17 Human Relations, Housing and Employment § 17-144
Exemption
Operative Text
Nothing in this division shall apply to: (1) Private club. A "private club" or other establishment not in fact open to the public except to the extent that the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages or accommodations of the establishment are made available to the customers or patrons of another establishment that is a place of public accommodations. (2) Facilities distinctly private. Any facilities, as to discrimination based on sex, which is distinctly private in nature such asrestrooms, shower rooms, bathhouses, health clubs and other similar facilities for which the city, in its ordinances, may grant exemptions based on bona fide consideration of public policy. (3) Inn, hotel, roominghouse. Any facility, as to discrimination based on sex, which restricts the rental of rooms to individuals of one sex.
Section 17-144 of Peoria's Chapter 17 carves out three categories of establishments from the division's general anti-discrimination requirements. Private clubs that are genuinely closed to the public are exempt, though that exemption narrows if they open their services to customers of a public-accommodation business. Certain inherently private facilities—such as restrooms, shower rooms, and health clubs—may be exempt from sex-discrimination rules, as may inns, hotels, or rooming houses that restrict room rentals to one sex.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators covered by § 17-144 should understand that these exemptions are narrow and fact-specific. A private club loses its exempt status under this section to the extent it makes its goods or services available to patrons of a linked public-accommodation business. Hotels, rooming houses, and operators of distinctly private facilities who believe they qualify for a sex-based exemption under § 17-144 generally document the bona fide public-policy basis for any such restriction and remain aware that the city retains authority to grant or deny those exemptions by ordinance.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
If you believe you have been denied housing or accommodations in Peoria and a landlord or operator is claiming an exemption under § 17-144, it is worth examining whether that exemption genuinely applies—for example, whether a so-called private club is actually serving the public through a connected business. Tenants and prospective renters can raise a potential violation as a defense or complaint through Peoria's Human Relations Commission, which administers Chapter 17. Tenant-rights organizations can also help clarify whether a claimed exemption under § 17-144 is valid in a given context.
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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