Willow Springs — Ch. 12-1 Discrimination and Housing § 12-1-4
PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS
Operative Text
Violations: It is a violation for any person on the basis of unlawful discrimination to:Deny or refuse to another the full and equal enjoyment of the facilities and services of any public place of accommodation; Directly or indirectly, as the operator of a place of public accommodation, publish, circulate, display or mail any written communication, except a private communication sent in response to a specific inquiry, which the operator knows is to the effect that any of the facilities of the place of public accommodation will be denied to any person or that any person is unwelcome, objectionable or unacceptable because of unlawful discrimination; Deny or refuse to another, as a public official, the full and equal enjoyment of the accommodations, advantage, facilities or privileges of the official's office or services or of any property under the official's care because of unlawful discrimination. Exemptions: Nothing in this Section shall apply to:A private club, or other establishment not in fact open to the public, except to the extent that the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of the establishment are made available to the customers or patrons of another establishment that is a place of public accommodation. Any facility, as to discrimination based on sex, which is distinctly private in nature such as restrooms, shower rooms, bathhouses, health clubs and other similar facilities for which the Village, in its rules and regulations, may grant exemptions based on bona fide considerations of public policy. Any facility, as to discrimination based on sex, which restricts the rental of rooms to individuals of one sex. Facilities regulated under the facilities for the Handicapped Act, as amended, with respect to allegations of discrimination based upon handicap resulting from a denial of access due to the physical structure of a public accommodation.
Willow Springs Ch. 12-1 § 12-1-4 prohibits discriminatory denial of equal access to public accommodations, bars operators from publishing communications that signal any person is unwelcome due to unlawful discrimination, and forbids public officials from withholding the benefits of their office or public property on discriminatory grounds. The rule carves out limited exemptions, including genuinely private clubs, certain sex-segregated facilities that are distinctly private in nature, single-sex lodging rentals, and facilities already governed by the Handicapped Act regarding physical-access barriers. In short, the provision establishes that public-facing businesses and government offices in Willow Springs must serve all people equally, regardless of protected characteristics.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Willow Springs Ch. 12-1 § 12-1-4, operators of places of public accommodation generally ensure that all guests and patrons receive equal access to every facility and service offered, without distinction based on protected characteristics. Compliant operators also review any written or published communications—signage, advertisements, notices—to confirm that no language signals that certain individuals are unwelcome or will be denied service. Operators who believe their establishment may qualify for one of the enumerated exemptions, such as a genuinely private club or a sex-specific lodging facility, typically document the factual basis for that exemption carefully.
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 § 12-1-4 gives individuals the right to equal enjoyment of public accommodations and protection against discriminatory communications or official conduct. If a person believes they have been denied access or subjected to unwelcoming communications on the basis of a protected characteristic, they may consider filing a complaint with the Village or a relevant civil rights body, or consulting a tenant-rights or civil-rights organization familiar with local enforcement procedures. Keeping records of any denial, discriminatory signage, or official conduct can be useful when pursuing a complaint under this section.
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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