{
 "topic": "FOIA section 7(1)(r) - Real estate purchase negotiation records, until completed",
 "statute": "5 ILCS 140/7(1)(r)",
 "family": "FOIA exemptions (section 7)",
 "page": "https://illinoisfoia.org/issues/foia-7-1-r/",
 "note": "Determination letters are non-binding. Verify against the source PDF before citing.",
 "counts": {
  "violation_found": 3,
  "no_violation": 2,
  "no_determination": 0,
  "other": 0
 },
 "challenge_notes": {
  "generated_by": "AI summary of the decisions listed on this page; not legal advice; verify each decision against its PDF",
  "when_a_challenge_is_strong": [
   {
    "text": "The records are extraneous or tangential to real estate negotiations and sales.",
    "why": "Section 7(1)(r) only exempts records relating to the sale; information that is not about the sale itself must be disclosed.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Emails about a city-owned parking lot sale",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-68657/#issue-2"
     },
     {
      "title": "Emails about a city-owned parking lot sale",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-68657/#issue-3"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The public body previously disclosed the same records in a public setting without confidentiality.",
    "why": "Voluntary public disclosure waives the exemption.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Audit reports on a board's real estate and investment activities",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-44377/#issue-3"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "when_the_body_usually_wins": [
   {
    "text": "The records directly relate to a real estate sale that has not yet been consummated.",
    "why": "Records relating to the sale are exempt until consummation, including communications soliciting and reviewing offers.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A private hospitality company's financial pro forma",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-76890/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "Emails about a city-owned parking lot sale",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-68657/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The records involve the sale price or financial incentives.",
    "why": "The exemption applies regardless of whether the sale price is offset by financial incentives.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A private hospitality company's financial pro forma",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-76890/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "points_to_put_in_the_letter": [
   {
    "text": "If the sale has been consummated, state that the exemption under section 7(1)(r) no longer applies and request the records again.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A private hospitality company's financial pro forma",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-76890/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "Emails about a city-owned parking lot sale",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-68657/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "If the records are not about the sale itself but are extraneous or tangential, argue that they are not exempt and must be disclosed.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Emails about a city-owned parking lot sale",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-68657/#issue-2"
     },
     {
      "title": "Emails about a city-owned parking lot sale",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-68657/#issue-3"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "If the public body already disclosed the same records publicly without confidentiality, argue that the exemption has been waived.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Audit reports on a board's real estate and investment activities",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-44377/#issue-3"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "facts_to_gather": [
   "Whether the real estate sale has been consummated, and if so, the date.",
   "The specific content of the records to determine if they are directly about the sale or extraneous.",
   "Evidence of any prior public disclosure of the same records by the public body."
  ],
  "common_mistakes": [
   {
    "text": "Assuming that records are exempt even after the sale is consummated.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A private hospitality company's financial pro forma",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-76890/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "Emails about a city-owned parking lot sale",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-68657/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "Arguing that the sale price being offset by financial incentives makes the records non-exempt.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A private hospitality company's financial pro forma",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-76890/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "Failing to check whether the public body already disclosed the records publicly, which would waive the exemption.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Audit reports on a board's real estate and investment activities",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-44377/#issue-3"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "Assuming that any record mentioning the property is exempt, even if it is extraneous to the sale.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Emails about a city-owned parking lot sale",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-68657/#issue-2"
     },
     {
      "title": "Emails about a city-owned parking lot sale",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-68657/#issue-3"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "caution": "These notes are based on non-binding determination letters; outcomes depend on specific facts and the applicable law; always verify the full PDF decisions for context."
 },
 "issues": [
  {
   "issue": "Section 7(1)(r) exemption for real estate sale records",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "Records relating to a real estate sale are exempt until the sale is consummated, regardless of whether the sale price is offset by financial incentives.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A private hospitality company's financial pro forma",
    "date": "2024-04-09",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-76890/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Gurba v. Community High School District No. 155, 2015 IL 118332",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Section 7(1)(r) redactions of real estate sale communications",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "Communications involved in soliciting and reviewing offers for the sale of public real estate are exempt from disclosure until the sale is consummated.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Emails about a city-owned parking lot sale",
    "date": "2022-09-27",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-68657/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Peoria Journal Star v. City of Peoria, 2016 IL App (3d) 140838",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/2016%20IL%20App%20(3d)%20140838/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Kalven v. City of Chicago, 2014 IL App (1st) 121846",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/2014%20IL%20App%20(1st)%20121846/"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Section 7(1)(r) redaction of Six Corners Chamber e-mail",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "Information extraneous to real estate negotiations and sales is not exempt under section 7(1)(r) and must be disclosed.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Emails about a city-owned parking lot sale",
    "date": "2022-09-27",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-68657/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Section 7(1)(r) redaction of utilization rate tables",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "Utilization rate tables are tangential to real estate negotiations and sales and are not exempt under section 7(1)(r).",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Emails about a city-owned parking lot sale",
    "date": "2022-09-27",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-68657/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Fourth request redactions under section 7(1)(r)",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "A public body waives an exemption by voluntarily disclosing the same records in a public setting without confidentiality.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Audit reports on a board's real estate and investment activities",
    "date": "2017-02-01",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-44377/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Lieber v. Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University, 176 Ill. 2d 401 (1997)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Chicago Alliance for Neighborhood Safety v. City of Chicago, 348 Ill. App. 3d 188 (1st Dist. 2004)",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  }
 ]
}