As used in this chapter:
(a) "Commission" means the Human Relations Commission established pursuant to Section 624.08.
(b) "Corporate authorities" means the Board of Trustees and its President.
(c) "Discriminate" or "discrimination" means to treat any person in a certain way, retaliate, aid/abet, or willfully interfere solely or in part because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, parental status, sexual orientation, source of income, military discharge, status, gender identity, or housing status. "Discriminate" or "discrimination" does not include special outreach efforts conducted by or under the authority of units of government (including agencies, departments and commissions thereof) or nonprofit fair housing agencies to ensure that persons of the majority group are fully informed of available dwelling opportunities in areas of present or prospective minority group concentration or to ensure that persons of minority groups are fully informed of available dwelling opportunities in areas of present or prospective majority group concentration.
(d) "Dwelling" means any building, structure or portion thereof which is occupied as, or designed or intended for occupancy as, a residence by one or more persons, and any vacant land which is offered for sale or rental and on which any such building, structure or portion thereof may be constructed or located.
(e) "Lending institution" means any bank, savings and loan association, insurance company or other organization or person regularly engaged in the business of lending money, guaranteeing loans for profit or otherwise providing financial assistance or insurance in connection with the purchase, sale or rental of dwellings.
(f) "Lessor" means a person who rents dwellings to other persons.
(g) "Multifamily residential development" means any building or structure, or group of buildings or structures, which contains four or more dwellings under common management or ownership.
(h) "Owner" means a person who holds legal or equitable title to, or owns any beneficial interest in, a dwelling or who holds legal or equitable title to, shares of or any beneficial interest in, any person who owns a dwelling, and his or her agent.
(i) "Person" means one or more individuals, corporations, partnerships, associations, labor organizations, legal representatives, mutual companies, joint stock companies, trusts, unincorporated organizations, trustees, trustees in bankruptcy, receivers or fiduciaries.
(j) "Purchase" means to obtain a dwelling through a sale.
(Ord. 641. Passed 4-23-84.)
(k) "Real estate agent" means a person who, for consideration, negotiates or attempts to negotiate the purchase, sale, rental or listing of a dwelling or interest therein, including, but not limited to, all persons licensed or required to be licensed pursuant to the provisions of the "Illinois Real Estate License Act," Illinois R.S. Chapter 111, Section 5801 et seq.
(Ord. 681. Passed 12-5-86.)
(l) "Rent" or "rental" means to lease, sublease, assign or otherwise grant or obtain the right to occupy, a dwelling not owned by the occupant in return for consideration, or a contract or option to so lease, sublease, assign or otherwise grant or obtain the right to occupy.
(m) "Sale" or "sell" means to convey, exchange, transfer or assign legal or equitable title to, or beneficial interest in, a dwelling in return for consideration, or a contract or option to so convey, exchange, transfer or assign.
(Ord. 641. Passed 4-23-84.)
(n) "Solicit" or "solicitation" means any communication by or on behalf of a real estate agent with the owner or occupant of a dwelling, which communication is intended to induce the sale, rental or listing of such dwelling, is intended to offer or promote services in connection therewith and is carried out by means of any of the following:
(1) In-person contact at the dwelling;
(2) Written material mailed or delivered directly to the dwelling, such as direct mail, leaflets or pamphlets; or
(3) Telephone contact with the owner or occupant of the dwelling.
(o) "Solicit" or "solicitation" shall not refer to communication carried out by means of print or electronic media of general circulation, such as newspapers, radio, television or the yellow pages.
(Ord. 681. Passed 12-5-86; Ord. 1430. Passed 8-10-09.)