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Rockford — Part I Ch. 11 Human Rights § 11-85

Refusal to sell or rent because a person has a guide, hearing or support dog

In Force
Verified 11/10/2026 · Next check 12/10/2026
RockfordAssistance Animals (FHA)

Operative Text

Rockford — Part I Ch. 11 Human Rights § 11-85
It is unlawful for the owner or agent of any housing accommodation to: (a)
Refuse to sell or rent after the making of a bona fide offer, or to refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or otherwise make unavailable or deny property to any blind, hearing impaired or physically disabled person because he has a guide, hearing or support dog;
(b) Discriminate against any blind, hearing impaired or physically disabled person in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental property, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection therewith, because he has a guide, hearing or support dog; or
(c) Require, because a blind, hearing impaired or physically disabled person has a guide, hearing or support dog, an extra charge in a lease, rental agreement, or contract of purchase or sale, other than for actual damage done to the premises by the dog.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Rockford — Part I Ch. 11 Human Rights § 11-85 prohibits housing owners and their agents from refusing to sell or rent to blind, hearing-impaired, or physically disabled individuals solely because those individuals have a guide, hearing, or support dog. The rule also bars discriminatory terms or conditions applied to such persons in connection with their dog, and forbids charging any extra fee simply because the dog is present. A landlord or seller may, however, charge for actual damage the dog causes to the premises.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on November 9, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Rockford § 11-85, compliant housing operators treat applicants and residents who use guide, hearing, or support dogs the same as any other applicant or resident when evaluating offers, setting lease terms, and providing services. Operators do not impose pet deposits or surcharges tied to the presence of the dog itself, though they may document and charge for any actual physical damage the dog causes to the property. Maintaining consistent, written policies that distinguish between damage-based charges and blanket pet fees helps demonstrate compliance with this provision.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Rockford § 11-85 gives blind, hearing-impaired, and physically disabled individuals the right to seek housing without being turned away, offered worse terms, or charged extra fees simply because they rely on a guide, hearing, or support dog. If a landlord or seller refuses to negotiate, imposes discriminatory conditions, or demands a surcharge unrelated to actual damage, that conduct may constitute a violation of this provision. Tenants who believe their rights under § 11-85 have been violated can consider filing a complaint with the Rockford Human Rights Commission, reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization, or consulting an attorney familiar with fair housing law.

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

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References Out

No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

IL Muni § 11-122
IL Muni § 11-1
IL Muni § 11-101
IL Muni § 11-123
IL Muni § 11-82
IL Muni § 11-105
IL Muni § 11-1

Related Rules

§ 209.190
Housing accommodations, defined — discrimination against persons with visual, hearing or physical disabilities, prohibited — dogs, guide, hearing or service to have full access — liability for actual damages
§ 3-104.1
Refusal to sell or rent because a person has a guide, hearing or support dog. It is a civil rights violation for the owner or agent of any housing accommodation to: (A) refuse to sell or rent after the making of a bona fide offer, or to refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or otherwise make unavailable or deny property to any blind or hearing impaired person or person with a physical disability because the blind or hearing impaired person or person with a physical disability has a guide, hearing, or support dog; or (B) discriminate against any blind or hearing impaired person or person with a physical disability in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental property, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection therewith, because the blind or hearing impaired person or person with a physical disability has a guide, hearing, or support dog; or (C) require, because a blind or hearing impaired person or person with a physical disability has a guide, hearing, or support dog, an extra charge in a lease, rental agreement, or contract of purchase or sale, other than for actual damage done to the premises by the dog
§ 38-37
Refusal to sell or rent because person has a guide, hearing or support dog

Source Information

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