Chicago Heights — Ch. 23 Human Relations § 23-89

Guide/support dogs

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

Operative Text

Chicago Heights — Ch. 23 Human Relations § 23-89
In addition to those prohibited acts identified in section 23-39 and division 2, it shall also be unlawful to refuse 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, hearing impaired or physically disabled person because he has a guide, hearing or support dog; or
(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

Chicago Heights Ch. 23 § 23-89 establishes that housing providers may not refuse to sell or rent to a blind, hearing-impaired, or physically disabled person on the basis that the person has a guide, hearing, or support dog. The rule also prohibits imposing different terms, conditions, or privileges on such individuals because of their dog. Owners or agents may, however, charge for actual damage the dog causes to the premises, but no additional fee or deposit may be required simply because the dog is present.

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

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Chicago Heights Ch. 23 § 23-89, 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, negotiating terms, and providing services. Operators do not add surcharges, extra deposits, or altered lease conditions solely because a qualifying individual has such a dog. The only dog-related charge that is permissible is one tied to documented, actual damage the dog causes to the property.

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

For Tenants

Chicago Heights Ch. 23 § 23-89 gives blind, hearing-impaired, and physically disabled individuals the right to be free from refusals to sell or rent, discriminatory lease terms, and extra fees imposed because they have a guide, hearing, or support dog. If a housing provider refuses to negotiate, imposes special conditions, or demands an extra charge not tied to actual damage, that conduct may constitute a civil rights violation under this section. Tenants who believe their rights under § 23-89 have been violated can explore filing a complaint with a local human relations or civil rights body, or consult a tenant-rights organization for guidance on available remedies.

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

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

IL Muni § 23-43
IL Muni § 23-42
IL Muni § 23-39
IL Muni § 23-58
IL Muni § 23-37
IL Muni § 23-39
IL Muni § 23-45
IL Muni § 23-109
IL Muni § 23-45
IL Muni § 23-39
IL Muni § 23-39
IL Muni § 23-39
IL Muni § 23-39
IL Muni § 23-39

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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