South Holland — Ch. 8.5 Housing § 8.5-55
Inducement of sale or rental, misrepresentation
Operative Text
It shall be unlawful, for profit, to induce or attempt to induce a person to sell or rent a dwelling by representation regarding the entry or prospective entry into the neighborhood of a person or persons of a particular race, color, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age. Prohibited actions under this section include, but are not limited to: (1) Engaging for profit in conduct (including uninvited solicitations for listings) which conveys to a person that a neighborhood is undergoing or is about to undergo a change in persons of a particular race, color, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age in order to encourage persons to offer a dwelling for sale or rental. (2) Encouraging, for profit, any person to sell or rent a dwelling through assertions that the entry or prospective entry of persons of a particular race, color, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age can or will result in undesirable consequences for the project, neighborhood or community, such as a lowering of property values, an increase in criminal or antisocial behavior, or a decline in the quality of schools or other services or facilities. (3) Soliciting or entering into any agreement for the sale, lease or listing for sale or lease of any real property within the municipality (on the ground of loss of value) due to the present or prospective entry into any neighborhood of any person or persons of any particular race, color, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age. (4) Distributing or causing to be distributed, written material or statements designed to induce any person to sell or lease real property because of any alleged or actual, present or prospective change in the race, color, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age of persons in the municipality or neighborhood. (5) Making any representation concerning the listing for sale or the anticipated listing for sale or the sale of any real property for the purpose of inducing or attempting to induce the sale or listing for sale of any real property, that the presence or anticipated presence of persons of any particular race, color religion, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age in the area will or may result in the lowering of real property values in the block, neighborhood or area in which the property is located.
South Holland Ch. 8.5 Housing § 8.5-55 prohibits a practice commonly known as 'blockbusting' — the for-profit use of representations about the demographic composition of a neighborhood to pressure or persuade people to sell or rent their homes. The rule covers a wide range of tactics, including uninvited solicitations, written materials, and verbal assertions that suggest neighborhood change will lower property values, increase crime, or reduce school quality. Any such conduct tied to race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, or age is expressly forbidden under this provision.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating in South Holland should be aware that § 8.5-55 bars any for-profit effort to leverage demographic change — real or anticipated — as a reason for a property owner to sell or rent. Compliant operators avoid uninvited listing solicitations that reference neighborhood composition, refrain from making assertions about property value changes tied to protected characteristics, and do not distribute written materials designed to steer housing decisions based on who is moving into an area. Maintaining clear, neutral communications about property transactions helps demonstrate that business practices align with this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under South Holland Ch. 8.5 Housing § 8.5-55, residents have a right to be free from blockbusting tactics — meaning no one may lawfully pressure them, for profit, to sell or rent their home by making representations about the demographic makeup of their neighborhood. If a tenant or homeowner receives unsolicited solicitations, written materials, or verbal statements that appear designed to exploit fears about neighborhood change based on protected characteristics, that conduct may constitute a violation of this section. Affected individuals can document such communications and explore options such as filing a complaint with a local fair housing authority, contacting a tenant-rights or fair housing organization, or consulting with a housing attorney to understand 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 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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