For which reason would a landlord in Illinois be justified in rejecting a tenant?

A landlord in Illinois is justified in rejecting a tenant primarily based on the tenant having several large and unpaid debts. This is because financial responsibility is a critical consideration in the rental process. Landlords often perform background and credit checks to assess a potential tenant's ability to pay rent reliably. A history of significant unpaid debts may indicate a financial risk, suggesting that the tenant might struggle to meet rental obligations.

In contrast, selecting or rejecting a tenant based on factors such as age, religion, or family status, such as being a single parent, could be considered discriminatory under federal and state fair housing laws. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin. As such, preferences or rejections based on characteristics like religion or parental status would not be legally justified. This highlights the importance of considering financial qualifications while adhering to fair housing regulations in tenant selection.