Bolingbrook — Ch. 28 Human Relations and Social Services § 28-20
Discrimination in real estate transactions prohibited
Operative Text
(a) No owner, lessee, or sublessee of real property, real estate broker or salesman, lender, financial institution, advertiser, or agent of any of the foregoing, shall discriminate against any person based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, order of protection status, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, or unfavorable discharge from military service with respect to any real estate transaction. (b) Any act of discrimination in a real estate transaction shall be considered an unfair housing practice, including, but not limited to, the following: (1) Refusal to engage in a real estate transaction with a person or discriminate in making available such a transaction. (2) Altering the terms, conditions or privileges of a real estate transaction or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith. (3) Refusal to receive or failure to transmit a bona fide offer to engage in a real estate transaction from a person. (4) Refusal to negotiate for a real estate transaction with a person. (5) Representing to a person that real property is not available for inspection, sale, rental, or lease when in fact it is so available, or failure to bring a property listing to his attention, or refusal to permit him to inspect real property. (6) Printing, circulating, posting, mailing, publishing or causing to be published a written or oral statement, advertisement or sign, or using a form of application for a real estate transaction, or making a record in inquiry in connection with a prospective real estate transaction, which expresses any limitation founded upon, or indicating, directly or indirectly, an intent to engage in unlawful discrimination. (7) Soliciting for sale, leasing, listing or purchasing any residential real estate within the village on the grounds of loss of value due to the present or prospective entry into the vicinity of the property involved of any person of any particular race, color, religion, sex, creed, national origin, ancestry, or physical or mental disability. (8) Distributing or causing to be distributed, written material or statements designed to induce any owner of residential real estate in the village to sell or lease his property because of any present or prospective changes in the race, color, religion, sex, creed, national origin, ancestry, or physical or mental disability, in the vicinity of the property involved. (9) Intentionally creating alarm, among residents of any community, by transmitting communications in any manner, including a telephone call whether or not conversation thereby ensues, with a design to induce any owner of residential real estate in the village to sell or lease his property because of any present or prospective entry into the vicinity of the property involved of any person of any particular race, color, religion, sex, creed, national origin, ancestry, or physical or mental disability. (10) Discriminating or participating in discrimination in connection with borrowing or lending money, guaranteeing loans, accepting mortgages or otherwise obtaining or making available funds for the purchase, acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair or maintenance of any real property in the village. (c) Discrimination in lending includes refusal to make loans, differentiation in the type of loans (including interest rates, charges to buyer or seller, duration and amount of loan), influencing appraisals in connection with loans or delaying processing loan applications.
Bolingbrook Ch. 28 § 28-20 prohibits a broad range of participants in real estate transactions — including owners, brokers, lenders, and advertisers — from treating people differently based on protected characteristics such as race, religion, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or military status, among others. The provision defines "unfair housing practices" expansively, covering not only outright refusals to deal but also steering, blockbusting, discriminatory advertising, and biased lending practices. Any act that signals, directly or indirectly, an intent to exclude or disadvantage someone on the basis of a protected characteristic falls within the scope of this rule.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Bolingbrook Ch. 28 § 28-20, compliant property owners and managers apply consistent, documented criteria when screening applicants, setting lease terms, and communicating property availability — criteria that are neutral with respect to all protected classes listed in the provision. Operators generally ensure that all advertising, application forms, and written communications are free of language that could indicate a preference for or against any protected group. Lending-related activities, such as coordinating with financial institutions on behalf of tenants or buyers, are also subject to the non-discrimination requirements of § 28-20.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Bolingbrook Ch. 28 § 28-20 gives individuals the right to engage in real estate transactions — including renting, purchasing, and financing property — free from discrimination based on protected characteristics such as race, disability, pregnancy, or sexual orientation. If a person believes they have experienced an unfair housing practice covered by § 28-20, general enforcement paths include filing a complaint with the Village of Bolingbrook, contacting the Illinois Department of Human Rights, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights or fair-housing organization for guidance. A violation of § 28-20 may also be raised as a defense or counterclaim in related legal proceedings.
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 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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