Willow Springs — Ch. 12-1 Discrimination and Housing § 12-1-2
REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS
Operative Text
Violations: It is a violation for an owner or other person engaging in a real estate transaction, or for a real estate broker or salesman, because of unlawful discrimination, to:Refuse to engage in a real estate transaction with a person; Alter terms, conditions or privileges of a real estate transaction or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith; Refuse to receive or to fail to transmit a bona fide offer to engage in a real estate transaction from a person; Refuse to negotiate for a real estate transaction with a person; Represent to a person that real property is not available for inspection, sale, rental, or lease when in fact it is so available, or to fail to bring a property listing to his or her attention, or to refuse to permit him or her to inspect real property; Print, circulate, post, mail, publish or cause to be so published a written or oral statement, advertisement or sign, or to use a form of application for a real estate transaction or to make a record or inquiry in connection with a prospective real estate transaction, which expresses any limitation founded upon, or indicates, directly or indirectly, an intent to engage in unlawful discrimination; Offer, solicit, accept, use or retain a listing of real property with knowledge that unlawful discrimination in a real estate transaction is intended. Exemptions: Nothing contained in subsection (A) hereof shall prohibit:Any sale of any single-family home by its owner so long as the following criteria are met:The owner does not own or have a beneficial interest in more than three (3) single-family homes at the time of the sale; The owner or a member of his or her family was the last current resident of the home; The home is sold without the use in any manner of the sale or rental facilities or services of any real estate broker or salesman, or of any employee or agent of any real estate broker or salesman; The home is sold without the publication, posting or mailing, after notice, of any advertisement or written notice in violation of subsection 12-1-2(A)(6). Rental of a housing accommodation in a building which contains housing accommodations for not more than five (5) families living independently of each other, if the lessor or a member of his or her family resides in one of the housing accommodations. Rental of a room or rooms in a private home by an owner if he or she or a member of his or her family resides therein or, while absent for a period of not more than twelve (12) months, if he or she or a member of his or her family intends to return to reside therein; Restricting rental or sale of a housing accommodation to a person of a certain age group when such housing accommodation is authorized, approved, financed or subsidized in whole or in part, for the benefit of that age group, by a unit of State, local or Federal government. A religious organization, association, or society, or any nonprofit institution or organization operated, supervised or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association, or society from limiting the sale, rental or occupancy of a dwelling which it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose 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, or natural origin. Restricting the rental of rooms in a housing accommodation to persons of one sex.
Willow Springs Ch. 12-1 § 12-1-2 prohibits owners, real estate brokers, and salespersons from refusing, altering, or misrepresenting real estate transactions on the basis of unlawful discrimination. This includes refusing to negotiate, withholding property listings, publishing discriminatory advertisements, or knowingly accepting listings where discrimination is intended. The provision also carves out specific exemptions — such as small owner-occupied buildings, certain single-family home sales, religiously affiliated housing, age-restricted subsidized housing, and single-sex room rentals — where some of these restrictions do not apply.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Willow Springs Ch. 12-1 § 12-1-2, compliant property owners and real estate professionals apply consistent, non-discriminatory criteria across all stages of a real estate transaction, from listing and advertising through negotiation and closing. Operators generally review all advertising materials and application forms to ensure no language — direct or indirect — signals a preference or limitation based on a protected characteristic. Those who believe they may qualify for one of the enumerated exemptions, such as the owner-occupied small building exemption or the single-family home exemption, typically document that all applicable criteria are met before relying on that exemption.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Willow Springs Ch. 12-1 § 12-1-2 establishes that tenants and prospective buyers have the right to engage in real estate transactions free from unlawful discrimination, including the right to receive property listings, submit bona fide offers, and inspect available properties. If a person believes they have been refused a transaction, given different terms, or subjected to discriminatory advertising in violation of this section, general enforcement paths include filing a complaint with the local municipal authority responsible for housing discrimination or contacting a tenant-rights or fair-housing organization for guidance. Consulting with a fair-housing advocate or attorney familiar with Willow Springs ordinances can help clarify which remedies may be available under § 12-1-2.
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 8, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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