Rock Falls — Ch. 12 Human Relations § 12-31
Discrimination in financing
Operative Text
(a) Discrimination against applicant directly. It is unlawful for any financial institution to discriminate against any applicant because the applicant is a person of a particular race, color, religion, sex, creed, ancestry, national origin, or physical or mental handicap with respect to: (1) The approval/provision of any loan or other financial assistance for the purpose of purchasing, constructing, improving, repairing or maintaining any dwelling; (2) Any term or condition of the loan/financial assistance including, but not limited to, loan amount, down payment, earnest money, duration of loan, interest rate and/or closing costs. (b) Discrimination against applicant's associates, redlining. It is unlawful for any financial institution to discriminate with respect to any of the matters indicated in subsection (a) of this section because: (1) The applicant's personal or business associates; (2) Any person having any interest in the dwelling or financial transaction in question; (3) The present or prospective occupants of the dwelling; or (4) The present or prospective residents of the neighborhood in which the dwelling is located; are persons of a particular race, color, religion, sex, creed, ancestry, national origin, or physical or mental handicap.
Rock Falls Ch. 12 Human Relations § 12-31 prohibits financial institutions from making lending decisions based on an applicant's race, color, religion, sex, creed, ancestry, national origin, or physical or mental handicap. This protection extends to all aspects of a loan, including the amount, interest rate, down payment, and closing costs. The rule also bars the practice of redlining, meaning a lender cannot base any financing decision on the protected characteristics of the applicant's associates, other parties to the transaction, or the current or future residents of the neighborhood where the property is located.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers who work with financial institutions on transactions involving their rental or investment properties should be aware that § 12-31 of Rock Falls Ch. 12 Human Relations governs how lenders must treat all parties in a financing transaction. Compliant lenders evaluate applications solely on financial and creditworthiness criteria, not on the protected characteristics of the applicant or anyone connected to the property or neighborhood. Landlords who observe or experience discriminatory financing practices in connection with a property transaction may have grounds to pursue a complaint under this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Rock Falls Ch. 12 Human Relations § 12-31, tenants and prospective buyers have the right to be free from discriminatory lending practices when seeking financing for a dwelling, whether the discrimination is directed at them personally or stems from the characteristics of their neighbors or associates. If a financial institution appears to have denied, limited, or conditioned a loan based on a protected characteristic, that conduct may constitute a violation of this provision. Those who believe they have experienced such treatment can document the details of the transaction and explore options such as filing a complaint with a local human relations commission or consulting a tenant-rights or fair-housing organization for guidance on available remedies.
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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