The Thorncreek apartment complex brought claims against the Village of Park Forest under 42 U.S.C. §§ 1981, 1983, 1985, and 1986, and Illinois law, arising from the Village’s denial of Thorncreek’s requests for licenses to operate a multifamily dwelling, denial of certificates of occupancy required to house new tenants, promulgation and allegedly discriminatory enforcement of an electricity ordinance, and denial of a conditional use permit for Thorncreek’s leasing office. Put simply, Thorncreek alleged that the Village targeted it because the vast majority of its tenants were African–American.
Thorncreek’s federal and state equal protection claims, conspiracy claims under 42 U.S.C. §§ 1985 and 1986, and ICRA claim survived the Village’s summary judgment motion and will proceed to trial.
Particularly charming, was an email from the Village Manager to the Village Police Chief regarding search warrants executed at Thorncreek, in which the Village Manager stated that, “I enjoy shoving it up their ass in a firm but diplomatic and professional manner.” Firm but fair.