Cook County Human Rights Ordinance Ch. 42 and the Illinois Human Rights Act prohibit landlords from refusing tenants based on lawful source of income, including Housing Choice Vouchers, SSI, child support, and other government assistance.
The Cook County Human Rights Ordinance (Ch. 42) lists source of income as a protected class in housing. Refusing to rent to, charging higher rent to, or applying different screening criteria to applicants because they use Housing Choice Vouchers, Social Security, veterans benefits, or other lawful income sources is a violation. The Illinois Human Rights Act (775 ILCS 5) was amended in 2023 to add the same statewide protection. The Cook County Commission on Human Rights investigates complaints, issues cease-and-desist orders, and may impose civil penalties up to $1000 per violation plus actual damages and attorney fees.
Refusing voucher holders, advertising no-Section-8 policies, or imposing higher screening thresholds for assisted tenants leads to civil penalties, damages, and Human Rights Commission enforcement orders.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Des Plaines, IL
Des Plaines City Code 6-2-7(E) applies its dBA limits to vehicles and equipment on the public right of way (excessive at 65 dBA daytime / 50 dBA quiet hours ...
Des Plaines, IL
Des Plaines City Code 6-2-7(D) makes it unlawful to make or continue any sound determined to be excessive. Outside quiet hours, 6-2-7(E)(5) sets the threshol...
Des Plaines, IL
Des Plaines City Code 6-2-7(F) makes it unlawful to operate any sound-production or amplification device whose sound crosses a property line and raises total...
Des Plaines, IL
Des Plaines City Code Section 7-3-8 prohibits parking on designated streets during declared snow removal operations so that plows can clear the roadway; viol...
Des Plaines, IL
Des Plaines requires fences and the full lot to be properly maintained, including portions of a lot where a fence is not on the property line, and limits fen...
Des Plaines, IL
Des Plaines prohibits barbed-wire and electrically charged fences in residential areas; they are allowed only in nonresidential districts where the Zoning Ad...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Cook County.
See how Des Plaines's source-of-income discrimination rules stack up against other locations.
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