Waukegan — Ch. 12 Human Relations § 12-28
Prohibited acts
Operative Text
No owner of real estate, lessee, sublessee, real estate broker or salesman, lender, financial institution, advertiser or agent of any of the foregoing, shall discriminate against any other person on the basis of any factor set out in section 12-26 , in regard to the sale or rental of, or dealings concerning real estate. Without limiting the foregoing, it shall also be unlawful for any real estate broker or other person to: (1) Publish, circulate, issue or display, or cause to be published, circulated, issued or displayed, any communication, notice, advertisement, sign or other writing of any kind relating to the sale, rental or leasing of any real estate which will indicate or express any such discrimination. (2) Exploit or overcharge any person for real estate on the basis of any factor described in section 12-26 . (3) Solicit for sale, lease or list for sale or lease, any real estate on the ground of loss of value due to the present or prospective entry into any neighborhood of any person on the basis of any factor described in section 12-26 . (4) Make, distribute or cause to be made or distributed any written material or statements designed to induce any owner of real estate to sell or lease his property because of any present or prospective change in the composition of the neighborhood based on any factor set out in section 12-26 . (5) Refuse to sell, lease or rent any real estate because of the status of the proposed buyer or tenant on the basis of any factor set out in section 12-26 . (6) Refuse examination of copies of any listing of any real estate to any person on the basis of any factor set out in section 12-26 . (7) Enter into a listing agreement which prohibits the sale or rental of real estate to any person on the basis of any factor set out in section 12-26 . (8) Act or undertake to act with respect to any real estate, the disposition of which is prohibited to any person on the basis of any factor set out in section 12-26 .
Waukegan Ch. 12 Human Relations § 12-28 broadly prohibits discrimination in real estate transactions — including sales, rentals, leases, and related dealings — based on any protected characteristic listed in § 12-26. The rule covers a wide range of actors, from property owners and lessees to brokers, lenders, and advertisers. Specific practices such as blockbusting, exploitative overcharging, discriminatory advertising, and refusing to show listings are all explicitly barred under this provision.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 12-28, compliant property owners and managers treat all prospective buyers and tenants equally regardless of any characteristic protected by § 12-26, applying consistent criteria across advertising, pricing, showings, and lease negotiations. Operators generally ensure that any listing agreements, marketing materials, and communications contain no language that signals a preference or restriction based on protected characteristics. Practices such as steering, overcharging on a discriminatory basis, or participating in blockbusting schemes are among the specific conduct this provision identifies as unlawful.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 12-28 gives prospective and current tenants the right to be free from discriminatory treatment in any aspect of renting or leasing real estate in Waukegan, including advertising, pricing, and access to listings. If a tenant believes a landlord, broker, or agent has violated this provision based on a protected characteristic under § 12-26, options may include filing a complaint with the Waukegan Human Relations Commission or a relevant fair housing agency, or raising the violation as a defense in a related proceeding. Tenant-rights organizations and fair housing groups can help individuals understand what documentation and steps are generally involved in pursuing such a complaint.
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