[Ord. 286, 11-6-1989]
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the FAIR HOUSING
ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF LINCOLN, ILLINOIS.
[Ord. 286, 11-6-1989]
It is hereby declared to be the policy of the City and the purpose
of this chapter, in the exercise by the City of its police and regulatory
owners for the protection of the public safety, for the health, morals,
safety and welfare of the persons in and residing in the City, and
for the maintenance and promotion of commerce, industry and good government
in the City, to secure to all persons living or desiring to live in
the City, a fair opportunity to purchase, lease, rent or occupy housing
without discrimination based on race, color, religion or national
origin.
[Ord. 286, 11-6-1989]
This chapter 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
6-5-2 of this chapter and the special purposes of the particular provision involved.
[Ord. 286, 11-6-1989]
If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof
to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the remainder of the
chapter and the application of the provision to other persons not
similarly situated or to other circumstances shall not be affected
thereby.
[Ord. 286, 11-6-1989]
For purposes of this chapter:
DWELLING
Any building or structure, or portion thereof, within the
City, which is arranged, designed or used as a home, residence or
living quarters of one or more individuals.
HOUSING
Includes any building or structure, or portion thereof, within
the City, which is used or occupied or is intended, arranged or designed
to be used or occupied as the home, residence or living quarters of
one or more individuals, groups or families, and includes any vacant
land within the City which is zoned and intended to be used for the
construction of any such building or structure.
LEASE
Includes sublease, assignment, and rent (or rental), and
includes any contract to do any of the foregoing.
LENDING INSTITUTION
Any bank, insurance company, savings and loan association,
other person in the business of lending money or guaranteeing loans,
any person in the business of obtaining, arranging or negotiating
loans or guarantees as agent or broker, and any person in the business
of buying or selling loans or instruments for the payment of money
which are secured by title to a security interest in real estate,
but shall not include any religious institution or organization nor
any charitable or educational organization operated, supervised or
controlled by a religious institution or organization.
OWNER
Any person who holds legal or equitable title to, or owns
any beneficial interest in, any dwelling or housing, or who holds
legal or equitable title to shares of, or holds any beneficial interest
in, any real estate cooperative which owns any dwelling or housing.
PERSON
Includes one or more individuals, corporations, partnerships,
associations, legal representatives, mutual companies, unincorporated
organizations, trusts, trustees, trustees in bankruptcy, receivers
and fiduciaries.
PURCHASE
Includes any contract to purchase.
REAL ESTATE AGENT
Any real estate broker, any real estate salesman, and any
other person who, as employee or agent or otherwise, engages in the
management or operation of any dwelling or housing.
REAL ESTATE BROKER
Any person licensed as a real estate broker in accordance
with the provisions of 225 Illinois Compiled Statutes, or required
thereby to be so licensed.
REAL ESTATE SALESMAN
Any person licensed as a real estate salesman in accordance
with the provisions of 225 Illinois Compiled Statutes, or required
thereby to be so licensed.
REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION
The purchase, sale, exchange or lease of any dwelling or
housing, and an option to do any of the foregoing.
SALE
Includes any contract to sell, exchange or to convey, transfer
or assign legal or equitable title to or a beneficial interest in
real estate.
[Ord. 286, 11-6-1989]
It shall be an unlawful housing practice and a violation of
this chapter for any person, for the purpose of inducing any other
person to enter into a real estate transaction with such person, his
principal or his agent:
(A) To represent that a change has occurred, will occur or may occur
with respect to the race, color, religion or national origin in the
composition of the owners or occupants in any block, neighborhood
or area in which the dwelling or housing (which is the subject of
the real estate transaction) is located; or
(B) To represent that a change with respect to the race, color, religion
or national origin in the composition of the owners or occupants in
any block, neighborhood or area will result in the lowering of property
values, or in an increase in criminal or antisocial behavior, or in
a decline in the quality of schools, in such block, neighborhood or
area.
[Ord. 286, 11-6-1989]
It shall be an unlawful housing practice and a violation of
this chapter for any person:
(A) To aid, abet, incite or coerce a person to engage in unlawful housing
practice;
(B) Wilfully to interfere with the performance of a duty or the exercise
of a power by the City Council or one of its members or representatives;
or
(C) Wilfully to obstruct or prevent a person from complying with the
provisions of this chapter or an order issued thereunder.
[Ord. 286, 11-6-1989]
Any person aggrieved in any manner by a violation of any provisions
of this chapter may file with the City Council a written verified
complaint setting forth his grievance. The complaint shall state:
a) the name and address of the complainant; b) the name and address
of the person against whom the complaint is brought, if known to the
complainant; and c) the alleged facts surrounding the alleged violation
of this chapter; and such complaint shall state the name and address
of all persons believed to have knowledge concerning the alleged facts.
[Ord. 286, 11-6-1989]
Any complaint filed hereunder with the City Council must be
filed within 14 calendar days after the alleged discriminatory practice
occurred or it shall be barred.
[Ord. 286, 11-6-1989]
Any person aggrieved in any manner by the violation of any provision
of this chapter may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for
appropriate relief from such violation, including:
(A) An order compelling compliance with this chapter;
(B) An order to prohibit any person found by the court to have violated
any provision of this chapter from the sale, lease, exchange, transfer,
conveyance or assignment of any dwelling or housing which is the subject
of such violation;
(C) An order requiring specific performance of any contract for the sale,
lease, exchange, transfer, conveyance or assignment of any dwelling
or housing, by any person who, in violation of this chapter, refuses
or fails to perform such contract;
(D) Compensatory damages; and
(E) Such other and further relief as may seem to the court appropriate
for the enforcement of this chapter and the elimination of violations
hereof.
[Ord. 286, 11-6-1989]
Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall
be subject to a fine not to exceed $500.