Effingham — Ch. 17 Art. VI Fair Housing § 17-139
Construction of terms
Operative Text
In construing the intended meaning of terminology used in this article, the following rules shall be observed: (a) Words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in section 17-139 unless the context clearly indicates otherwise; terms not defined in section 17-139 shall have their standard English dictionary meanings. (b) Words denoting the masculine gender shall be deemed to include the feminine and neuter genders. (c) Words used in the present tense shall include the future tense. (d) Words used in the singular number shall include the plural number, and the plural the singular. (e) The term "shall" is mandatory; the term "may" is discretionary. (f) The term "this municipality" shall mean the City of Effingham, Illinois. (g) All time periods expressed in days shall be construed as calendar days, not working days. (h) Captions (i.e., titles of sections, subsections, etc.) are intended merely to facilitate general reference, and in no way limit the substantive application of the provisions set forth thereunder. (i) References to sections shall be deemed to include all subsections within that section; but a reference to a particular subsection designates only that subsection. (j) A general term that follows or is followed by enumerations of specific terms shall not be limited to the enumerated class unless expressly limited.
Section 17-139 of Effingham's Fair Housing ordinance (Ch. 17, Art. VI) establishes a set of interpretive rules that govern how the language throughout the article is to be read and applied. These rules clarify matters such as how gendered words, singular and plural forms, tense, and time periods are understood, and they specify that defined terms carry their assigned meanings while undefined terms follow standard dictionary usage. The rules also confirm that the word 'shall' imposes a mandatory obligation, while 'may' signals discretion, and that section captions do not restrict the substantive reach of the provisions beneath them.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under Effingham's Fair Housing article (Ch. 17, Art. VI, § 17-139) generally read every provision with these construction rules in mind — for example, treating all time deadlines as calendar days rather than business days, and understanding that 'shall' language creates binding obligations rather than optional guidance. A compliant operator does not rely on section headings alone to determine the scope of a requirement, since § 17-139 makes clear that captions are for reference only and do not limit substantive application. Familiarity with these interpretive defaults helps ensure that policies and practices align with the full intended reach of the article's requirements.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
The construction rules in § 17-139 of Effingham's Ch. 17, Art. VI shape how every other provision in the Fair Housing article is interpreted, which can matter when evaluating whether a right or obligation applies in a given situation. For instance, because 'shall' is mandatory under this section, any provision using that word imposes a firm duty — not a suggestion — on whoever it addresses. Tenants who believe a provision has been misapplied or narrowly read may find it useful to reference § 17-139 directly, and tenant-rights organizations familiar with Effingham's ordinance can help explain how these interpretive rules interact with specific fair housing protections.
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