La Grange — Title VII Ch. 14 Fair Housing § 7-14-15
Coverage and Exemptions
Operative Text
Nothing in this chapter, other than the prohibition against discriminatory advertising, shall: (1) Apply to the following: a. The Rental, Lease, or occupancy of a room in an Owner-occupied single-family Dwelling, provided the following conditions are met: 1. The Owner does not own or have any interest in more than three single-family houses at any one time; 2. The house is sold or Rented without the use of a real estate Broker, agent or salesperson or the facilities of any Person in the business of selling or Renting Dwellings. b. 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 or her residence. (2) 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 or society from limiting the sale, Rental or occupancy of Dwellings which it owns or operates for other than commercial purposes 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, Religion, Sex, sexual preference or orientation, Physical or Mental Disability, Familial Status, or National Origin. (3) Prohibit a private club not in fact open to the public, which, as an incident to its primary purpose 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 and their guests or from giving preference to its members. (4) Prohibit the Rental or sale of a Dwelling on the basis of age or Disability when such Dwelling is authorized, approved, financed, or subsidized in whole or in part by a unit of State, local, or Federal government. (5) Limit the applicability of any reasonable local, State, or Federal restrictions regarding the maximum number of occupants permitted to occupy a Dwelling. (6) Require the Rental or sale of a unit to any Person convicted of the illegal manufacture or distribution of a Controlled Substance. (7) With regard to Discrimination based on Familial Status, apply with respect to Housing for Older Persons as defined in 7-14-10 . (8) Apply to Persons engaged in the business of furnishing appraisals of Real Property from taking into consideration factors other than those based on unlawful Discrimination or Familial Status in furnishing appraisals. (9) Prohibit Financial Institutions from considering sound underwriting practices in contemplation of any Loan to any Person. Such practices shall include the following: a. The willingness and the financial ability of the borrower to repay the Loan. b. The market value of any real estate or other item of property proposed as security for any Loan. c. Diversification of the Financial Institution's investment portfolio. (10) Prohibit a Person engaged in the business of furnishing appraisals of Real Property from taking into consideration factors other than race, creed, age, ancestry, unfavorable military discharge, color, Religion, Sex, sexual preference or orientation, Disability, Familial Status, or National Origin.
La Grange Title VII Ch. 14 Fair Housing § 7-14-15 carves out specific situations where the chapter's general fair housing protections do not apply. These exemptions include small owner-occupied dwellings, religious organizations and private clubs renting their own properties under defined conditions, government-authorized senior or disability housing, and standard financial underwriting practices. Notably, the prohibition against discriminatory advertising continues to apply even in these exempt circumstances, meaning no exemption removes that particular obligation.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 7-14-15, property owners who occupy one unit of a building with four or fewer total units, or who rent a room in their own single-family home while owning no more than three such homes, may fall outside certain fair housing requirements — provided they do not use a broker or advertise in a discriminatory manner. Operators of religious or private-club housing, and those managing government-subsidized senior or disability housing, should review the specific conditions listed in § 7-14-15 to understand which exemptions may apply to their properties. Compliant operators generally document their ownership structure, occupancy status, and advertising practices to demonstrate that any claimed exemption is properly supported.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 7-14-15 defines the boundaries of La Grange's fair housing protections, and understanding these exemptions helps tenants recognize when those protections do and do not apply to their housing situation. Even in exempt categories, the ban on discriminatory advertising remains in force, which can be a relevant factor if a tenant encounters a discriminatory listing. Tenants who believe a landlord is improperly claiming an exemption to justify discriminatory treatment may consider contacting a local tenant-rights organization or a fair housing agency for general information about their options.
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.
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