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Protected Classes

IT IS ILLEGAL TO DISCRIMINATE IN ANY HOUSING TRANSACTION AGAINST ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:

Protected Classes Under U.S. Federal Law:

  • Race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, and handicap.

Protected Classes Under Illinois Law:

  • Race, color, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental handicap, military discharge status, and as of January 1, 2006, sexual orientation.

Protected Classes Under Cook County:

  • Race, color, religion, age, sex, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status, source of income (does NOT cover Section 8), housing status, and gender identity.

Protected Classes Under the City of Chicago:

  • Race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status, source of income (covers Section 8). ( 3-13-02)

Protected Classes Under Evanston:

  • Race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, familial status or national origin of any individual.

“Sexual orientation” is defined as: “having or perceived as having emotional, physical, or sexual attachment to another without regard to the sex of that person or having or being perceived as having an orientation for such an attachment, or having or being perceived as having a self-image or identity not traditionally associated with one’s biological maleness or femaleness. “Sexual orientation” does not include a physical or sexual attachment to children by an adult. (1997)

Protected Classes Under Skokie:

  • Skokie changed the protected classes and added sexual orientation and source of income to match current County ordinance-excluding Section 8 recipients. ( 9-8-04)
  • Skokie amended their fair housing ordinance to read: equal opportunity to view, purchase, lease, rent, or occupy real estate in the Village without discrimination because of their race, color, religion, sex, creed, ancestry, disability, age, marital status, presence or age of children, national origin, sexual orientation, or source of income. ( 2-16-05)

Last revised: 7/18/06