Pontiac — Part I Ch. 24 Human Relations and Social Services § 24-121
Interpretation of article
Operative Text
This article shall be construed according to the fair import of its terms and shall be liberally construed to further the purposes and policy stated in section 24-120 and the special purposes of the particular provision involved.
Section 24-121 of Pontiac's Human Relations and Social Services ordinance establishes a rule of interpretation: the article's language is to be read according to its plain, fair meaning and interpreted broadly in order to advance the goals and policies set out in section 24-120, as well as the specific intent behind each individual provision. This means that ambiguous or borderline situations are generally resolved in favor of the article's protective purposes rather than narrowly or technically. The provision functions as a guiding principle for courts, administrators, and anyone else applying the article's rules.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 24-121, operators and property managers should understand that the article governing human relations and social services in Pontiac is designed to be read expansively, not restrictively. Compliant operators generally familiarize themselves with the policy goals stated in section 24-120, since those goals inform how every specific provision in the article will be interpreted and applied. When questions arise about whether a particular practice falls within the article's scope, the interpretive default runs toward furthering the article's protective purposes.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 24-121 provides tenants with an important interpretive backdrop: the protections in Pontiac's human relations article are meant to be construed broadly in favor of the article's stated purposes under section 24-120. If a dispute arises over whether a specific situation is covered by the article, this provision supports a reading that advances the article's goals rather than limiting them. Tenants who believe their rights under the article have been affected may consider consulting a tenant-rights organization or local human relations office to understand how this interpretive standard applies to their circumstances.
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