Take Action: Oppose the Proposed Amendments to RLTO

We need you to take immediate, quick action to avoid negative ramifications to law-abiding property owners and private property rights.

Take one minute to tell your elected officials you OPPOSE the proposed amendments to the Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance (RLTO).

UPDATE Thursday, July 16, 2020

During the latest City Council meeting, many Aldermen voiced reservations about the relocation fee, so it was pulled from consideration and replace by substituted provisions, including:

• Allowing a tenant to pay back rent after an eviction process begins
• Rent must be accepted at any time prior to a judgment being entered
• Tenancy of fewer than 6 months get 30-days notice, tenancies of 6 months to 3 years get 60-days notice, and tenants of more than 3 years get 120-days notice

These updates were still not what we were hoping for, and our Call For Action to oppose the updated amendments is still active and looking for your voice!

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The Mayor’s office has been working for several months on amendments to the RLTO. These proposed amendments would require landlords governed under RLTO to:

1. Increase tenant notification of lease termination to 90 days (instead of 30-day notice);
2. Provide tenants with a $2,500 relocation fee if a property owner would like to renovate, convert unit/s to a condominium, or demolish the building within 90 days of the tenant leaving;
3. Expand the above requirements to all landlords, including those within owner-occupied buildings containing six or fewer units.

We believe this is a violation of private property rights. Renters often seek a month-to-month tenancy if they are looking to buy their first home, or if they seek the flexibility to move later. Proposals like this force the hand of landlords and tenants into lease terms they may not want. A relocation fee regardless of a tenant’s financial status is unfair to the property taxpayer. Further, this proposal does not consider struggling owners that may need to sell a property quickly before defaulting on their loans. The relocation fee of any amount would further push that owner into debt.

HOW CAN I TAKE ACTION?

We’ve made it easy for you. Click here to send a note to your elected officials and tell them why you oppose the proposed RLTO amendments. By doing so, you are standing up for Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods and protecting our industry. Don’t wait!

Take Action Now!

For additional resources about the RLTO, visit:

• Language of the proposed Relocation Assistance Ordinance
• RLTO Overview
• Our previous advocacy on the ordinance