Anti-Discrimination Center

Sec. 50-51. General policy. back to top

It is the policy of the village to provide, within constitutional limitations, for fair housing throughout the village.
(Code 1985, § 10-11-1)

Sec. 50-52. Definitions. back to top

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this division, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Discriminatory housing practice means an act that is unlawful under section 50-54, 50-55 or 50-56.

Dwelling means any building, structure or portion thereof which is occupied as, or designed or intended for occupancy as, a residence by one or more families, and any vacant land which is offered for sale or lease for the construction or location thereon of any such building, structure or portion thereof.

Family includes a single individual.

Person includes one or more individuals, corporations, partnerships, associations, labor organizations, legal representatives, mutual companies, joint stock companies, trusts, unincorporated organizations, trustees, trustees in bankruptcy, receivers and fiduciaries.

To rent includes to lease, to sublease, to let and otherwise to grant for a consideration the right to occupy premises owned by the occupant.

(Code 1985, § 10-11-2)

Cross references: Definitions generally, § 1-2.

Sec. 50-53. Applicability of section 50-54. back to top

(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section and section 50-57, the prohibitions against discrimination in the sale or rental of housing set forth in section 50-54 shall apply to all dwellings.

(b) Nothing in section 50-54 shall apply to:

(1) Any single-family house sold or rented by an owner, provided that:

a. Such private individual owner does not own more than three such single-family houses at any one time;

b. In the case of the sale of any such single-family house by a private individual owner not residing in such house at the time of such sale or who was not the most recent resident of such house prior to such sale, the exemption granted by this subsection shall apply only with respect to one such sale within any 24-month period;

c. Such bona fide private individual owner does not own any interest in, nor is there owned or reserved on his behalf, under any express or voluntary agreement, title to or any right to all or a portion of the proceeds from the sale or rental of more than three such single-family houses at any one time; and

d. The sale or rental of any such single-family house shall be excepted from the application of this title only if such house is sold or rented:

1. Without the use in any manner of the sales or rental facilities or the sales or rental services of any real estate broker, agent or salesman, or of such facilities or services of any person in the business of selling or renting dwellings, or of any employee or agent of any such broker, agent, salesman or person; and

2. Without the publication, posting or mailing of any advertisement or written notice in violation of section 50-54(3), but nothing in this provision shall prohibit the use of attorneys, escrow agents, abstractors, title companies and other such professional assistance as necessary to perfect or transfer the title; or

(2) Rooms or units in dwellings containing living quarters occupied or intended to be occupied by no more than four families living independently of each other, if the owner actually maintains and occupies one of such living quarters as his residence.

(c) For the purposes of subsection (b) of this section, a person shall be deemed to be in the business of selling or renting dwellings if:

(1) He has, within the preceding 12 months, participated as principal in three or more transactions involving the sale or rental of any dwelling or any interest therein;

(2) He has, within the preceding 12 months, participated as agent, other than in the sale of his own personal residence, in providing sales or rental facilities or sales or rental services in two or more transactions involving the sale or rental of any dwelling or any interest therein; or

(3) He is the owner of any dwelling designed or intended for occupancy by, or occupied by, five or more families.

(Code 1985, § 10-11-3)

Sec. 50-54. Discrimination in the sale or rental of housing. back to top

As made applicable by section 50-53 and except as exempted by sections 50-53(b) and 50-57, it shall be unlawful to:

(1) Refuse to sell or rent after the making of a bona fide offer, or refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or otherwise make unavailable or deny a dwelling to any person because of race, color, religion or national origin.

(2) Discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection therewith, because of race, color, religion or national origin.

(3) Make, print or publish or cause to be made, printed or published any notice, statement or advertisement with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.

(4) Represent to any person because of race, color, religion or national origin that any dwelling is not available for inspection, sale or rental when such dwelling is in fact so available.

(5) For profit, induce or attempt to induce any person to sell or rent any dwelling by representations regarding the entry or prospective entry into the neighborhood of persons of a particular race, color, religion or national origin.

(Code 1985, § 10-11-4)

Sec. 50-55. Discrimination in the financing of housing. back to top

It shall be unlawful for any bank, building and loan association, insurance company or other corporation, association, firm or enterprise, whose business consists in whole or in part in the making of commercial real estate loans, to deny a loan or other financial assistance to a person applying therefor for the purpose of purchasing, constructing, improving, repairing or maintaining a dwelling, or to discriminate against him in the fixing of the amount, interest rate, duration or other terms or conditions of such loan or other financial assistance, because of the race, color, religion or national origin of such person or of any person associated with him in connection with such loan or other financial assistance or the purposes of such loan or other financial assistance, or of the present or prospective owners, lessees, tenants or occupants of the dwelling in relation to which such loan or other financial assistance is to be made or given; provided that nothing contained in this section shall impair the scope or effectiveness of the exception contained in section 50-53(b).

(Code 1985, § 10-11-5)

Sec. 50-56. Discrimination in the provision of brokerage services. back to top

It shall be unlawful to deny any person access to or membership or participation in any multiple-listing service, real estate brokers' organization or other service, organization or facility relating to the business of selling or renting dwellings, or to discriminate against him in the terms or conditions of such access, membership or participation, on account of race, color, religion or national origin.

(Code 1985, § 10-11-6)

Sec. 50-57. Exemption for religious organization and private clubs. back to top

Nothing in this division shall prohibit a religious organization, association or society, or any nonprofit institution or organization operated, supervised or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association, or society, from limiting the sale, rental or occupancy of dwellings which it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose to persons of the same religion, or from giving preference to such persons, unless membership in such religion is restricted on account of race, color or national origin, nor shall anything in this division prohibit a private club not in fact open to the public, which as an incident to its primary purposes provides lodgings which it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose, from limiting the rental or occupancy of such lodgings to its members or from giving preference to its members.

(Code 1985, § 10-11-7)

Sec. 50-58. Administration. back to top

(a) The authority and responsibility for administering this division shall be in the chief executive officer of the village.

(b) The chief executive officer may delegate any of these functions, duties and powers to employees of the village or to boards of such employees, including functions, duties and powers with respect to investigating, conciliating, hearing, determining, ordering, certifying, reporting or otherwise acting as to any work, business or matter under this division. The chief executive officer shall by rule prescribe such rights of appeal from the decisions of his hearing examiners to other hearing examiners or to other officers in the village, to boards of officers or to himself, as shall be appropriate and in accordance with law.

(c) All executive departments and agencies shall administer their programs and activities relating to housing and urban development in a manner affirmatively to further the purpose of this division and shall cooperate with the chief executive officer to further such purposes.

(Code 1985, § 10-11-8)

Sec. 50-59. Education and conciliation. back to top

Immediately after the enactment of the ordinance from which this division is derived, the chief executive officer shall commence such educational and conciliatory activities as will further the purposes of this division. He shall call conferences of persons in the housing industry and other interested parties to acquaint them with the provisions of this division and his suggested means of implementing it, and shall endeavor with their advice to work out programs of voluntary compliance and of enforcement.

(Code 1985, § 10-11-9)

Sec. 50-60. Enforcement generally. back to top

(a) Any person who claims to have been injured by a discriminatory housing practice or who believes that he will be irrevocably injured by a discriminatory housing practice that is about to occur (referred to in this section as "person aggrieved") may file a complaint with the chief executive officer. Complaints shall be in writing and shall contain such information and be in such form as the chief executive officer requires. Upon receipt of such a complaint the chief executive officer shall furnish a copy of the complaint to the person who allegedly committed or is about to commit the alleged discriminatory housing practice. Within 30 days after receiving a complaint, or within 30 days after the expiration of any period of reference under subsection (c) of this section, the chief executive officer shall investigate the complaint and give notice in writing to the person aggrieved whether he intends to resolve it. If the chief executive officer decides to resolve the complaints, he shall proceed to try to eliminate or correct the alleged discriminatory housing practice by informal methods of conference, conciliation and persuasion. Nothing said or done in the course of such informal endeavors may be made public or used as evidence in a subsequent proceeding under this division without the written consent of the persons concerned. Any employee of the chief executive officer who shall make public any information in violation of this provision shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not more than $1,000.00 or imprisoned not more than one year.

(b) A complaint under subsection (a) of this section shall be filed within 180 days after the alleged discriminatory housing practice occurred. Complaints shall be in writing and shall state the facts upon which the allegations of a discriminatory housing practice are based. Complaints may be reasonably and fairly amended at any time. A respondent may file an answer to the complaint against him and, with the leave of the chief executive officer, which shall be granted whenever it would be reasonable and fair to do so, may amend his answer at any time. Both complaints and answers shall be verified.

(c) If, within 30 days after a complaint is filed with the chief executive officer, the chief executive officer has been unable to obtain voluntary compliance with this division, the person aggrieved may, within 30 days thereafter, file a complaint with the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The chief executive officer will assist in this filing.

(d) If the chief executive officer has been unable to obtain voluntary compliance within 30 days of the complaint, the person aggrieved may, within 30 days thereafter commence a civil action in any appropriate court, against the respondent named in the complaint, to enforce the rights granted or protected by this division, insofar as such rights relate to the subject of the complaint. If the court finds that a discriminatory housing practice has occurred or is about to occur, the court may enjoin the respondent from engaging in such practice or order such affirmative action as may be appropriate.

(e) In any proceeding brought pursuant to this section, the burden of proof shall be on the complainant.

(f) Whenever an action filed by an individual shall come to trial, the chief executive officer shall immediately terminate all efforts to obtain voluntary compliance.

(Code 1985, § 10-11-10)

Sec. 50-61. Investigations; subpoenas; giving of evidence. back to top

(a) In conducting an investigation under this division, the chief executive officer shall have access at all reasonable times to premises, records, documents, individuals, and other evidence or possible sources of evidence, and may examine, record and copy such materials and take and record the testimony or statements of such persons as are reasonably necessary for the furtherance of the investigation; provided, however, that the chief executive officer first complies with the provisions of the Fourth Amendment relating to unreasonable searches and seizures. The chief executive officer may issue subpoenas to compel his access to or the production of such materials, or the appearance of such persons, and may issue interrogatories to a respondent, to the same extent and subject to the same limitations as would apply if the subpoenas or interrogatories were issued or served in aid of a civil action in the United States district court for the district in which the investigation is taking place. The chief executive officer may administer oaths.

(b) Upon written application to the chief executive officer, a respondent shall be entitled to the issuance of a reasonable number of subpoenas by and in the name of the chief executive officer to the same extent and subject to the same limitations as subpoenas issued by the chief executive officer himself. Subpoenas issued at the request of a respondent shall show on their face the name and address of such respondent and shall state that they were issued at his request.

(c) Witnesses summoned by subpoena of the chief executive officer shall be entitled to the same witness and mileage fees as are witnesses in proceedings in United States district courts. Fees payable to a witness summoned by a subpoena issued at the request of a respondent shall be paid by him.

(d) Within five days after service of a subpoena upon any person, such person may petition the chief executive officer to revoke or modify the subpoena. The chief executive officer shall grant the petition if he finds that the subpoena requires appearance or attendance at an unreasonable time or place, that it requires production of evidence which does not relate to any matter under investigation, that it does not describe with sufficient particularity the evidence to be produced, that compliance would be unduly onerous, or for other good reason.

(e) In case of contumacy or refusal to obey a subpoena, the chief executive officer or other person at whose request it was issued may petition for its enforcement in the municipal or state court for the district in which the person to whom the subpoena was addressed resides, was served, or transacts business.

(f) Any person who willfully fails or neglects to attend and testify or to answer any lawful inquiry or to produce records, documents or other evidence, if in his power to do so, in obedience to the subpoena or lawful order of the chief executive officer shall be fined not more than $1,000.00 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. Any person who, with intent thereby to mislead the chief executive officer, shall make or cause to be made any false entry or statement of fact in any report, account, record or other document submitted to the chief executive officer pursuant to his subpoena or other order, or shall willfully neglect or fail to make or cause to be made full, true and correct entries in such reports, accounts, records or other documents, or shall willfully mutilate, alter or by any other means falsify any documentary evidence, shall be fined not more than $1,000.00 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

(g) The village attorney shall conduct all litigation in which the chief executive officer participates as a party or as amicus pursuant to this division.

(Code 1985, § 10-11-11)

Sec. 50-62. Enforcement by private persons. back to top

(a) The rights granted by sections 50-53, 50-54, 50-55 and 50-56 may be enforced by civil actions in state or local courts of general jurisdiction. A civil action shall be commenced within 180 days after the alleged discriminatory housing practice occurred; provided, however, that the court shall continue such civil case brought pursuant to this section or section 50-60(d) from time to time before bringing it to trial if the court believes that the conciliation efforts of the chief executive officer are likely to result in satisfactory settlement of the discriminatory housing practice complained of in the complaint made to the chief executive officer and which practice forms the basis for the action in court: provided, however, that any sale, encumbrance or rental consummated prior to the issuance of any court order issued under the authority of this division, and involving a bona fide purchaser, encumbrancer or tenant, without actual notice of the existence of the filing of a complaint or civil action under the provisions of this division, shall not be affected.

(b) The court may grant as relief, as it deems appropriate, any permanent or temporary injunction, temporary restraining order or other order, and may award to the plaintiff actual damages and not more than $1,000.00 punitive damages, together with court costs and reasonable attorney's fees in the case of a prevailing plaintiff; provided that the plaintiff in the opinion of the court is not financially able to assume the attorney's fees.

(Code 1985, § 10-11-12)

Sec. 50-63. Interference, coercion or intimidation prohibited. back to top

It shall be unlawful to coerce, intimidate, threaten or interfere with any person in the exercise or enjoyment of, or on account of his having exercised or enjoyed, or on account of his having aided or encouraged any other person in the exercise or enjoyment of, any right granted or protected by section 50-53, 50-54, 50-55 or 50-56. This section may be enforced by appropriate civil action.

(Code 1985, § 10-11-13)

Sec. 50-64. Penalty for interference or intimidation. back to top

Whoever, whether or not acting under color of law, by force or threat of force willfully injures, intimidates or interferes with, or attempts to injure, intimidate or interfere with:

(1) Any person because of his race, color, religion or national origin and because he is or has been selling, purchasing, renting, financing, occupying or contracting or negotiating for the sale, purchase, rental, financing or occupation of any dwelling, or applying for or participating in any service, organization or facility relating to the business of selling or renting dwellings;

(2) Any person because he is or has been, or in order to intimidate such person or any other person or any class of persons from:

a. Participating, without discrimination on account of race, color, religion or national origin, in any of the activities, services organizations or facilities described in subsection (1) of this section; or

b. Affording another person or class of persons opportunity or protection so to participate; or

(3) Any citizen because he is or has been, or in order to discourage such citizen or any other citizen from, lawfully aiding or encouraging other persons to participate, without discrimination on account of race, color, religion or national origin, in any of the activities, services, organizations or facilities described in subsection (1) of this section, or participating lawfully in speech or peaceful assembly opposing any denial of the opportunity to so participate;

shall be fined not more than $1,000.00 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if bodily injury results shall be fined not more than $10,000.000 or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results shall be subject to imprisonment for any term of years or for life.

(Code 1985, § 10-11-15)