rent

Mayor Lightfoot expected to propose Covid-19 related landlord tenant ordinances

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Big week for new legislation at City Hall?

We’ve heard that in addition to the Covid-inspired rent forgiveness statute proposed by Rep. Ramirez (and a similar provision likely to be proposed in the Illinois Senate), it is likely that there will be a bit more movement in the City Council this week.  One of the complaints of city aldermen about the Chicago Housing Solidarity Pledge is that the pledge is… voluntary.  We can’t just have landlords being nice all on their own, can we?  Instead,

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Illinois Emergency and Economic Recovery Renter and Homeowner Protection Act

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Here we go again

Round up the usual suspects.  Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago) and Delia Ramirez (D-Chicago), backed by national progressive think tanks and policy institutes like the Shriver Center (which has been a major force in pushing anti-landlord housing policy changes nationwide), are coming out hot.  They’re ready to take advantage of this pandemic to re-shape the world in their progressive image in the form of the Illinois Emergency and Economic Recovery Renter and Homeowner Protection Act.  This is the thanks that landlords get for “giving grace” to tenants at a time of crisis. 

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Did Chicago miss an opportunity with the Housing Solidarity Pledge?

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Anything New Here?

I watched the whole press conference.  Mayor Lightfoot announced the City’s Housing Solidarity Pledge.  There were lots of heavy hitters making that pledge.  There were big banks.  Bank of America, BMO Harris, Fifth Third, PNC Bank, First Midwest Bank, US Bank, Wintrust and more (although I did note that ubiquitous Chase was not mentioned).  There were well respected landlord and property advocates like the Neighborhood Building Owners Alliance, Chicagoland Apartment Association, and the Chicago Association of Realtors.  There was even a tenant’s rights group in the form of the Lawyer’s Committee for Better Housing.  But did anything really get done?  And was a big opportunity for change missed?

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Alderman Martin’s Rent Ordinance to be Introduced Tomorrow

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What should Chicago landlords do? As a result of the premature adjournment of the City Council meeting earlier this week, Alderman Matt Martin’s rent deferral ordinance was not introduced.  We have received word that the ordinance will be introduced tomorrow (Friday, April 24, 2020) at the 1:00pm City Council meeting.  It is further my understanding … Read more

Here’s what’s CRAZY about Alderman Martin’s Rent Ordinance

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Ordinance Fails to Account for Reality

As promised, here’s a deeper dive into 47th Ward Alderman Matt Martin’s Rent Deferment Ordinance.  I have always believed that you learn a great deal about someone’s character by observing how they act when under duress.  It’s easy to “do the right thing” when things are good.  But what do you do when things get tough?  As a practicing attorney, I’ve been heartened to see landlords

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Ordinance Would Postpone Rent Payments

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Covid-19 Rent Relief at Landlord’s Expense Proposed

We have come into possession of an ordinance purported to be introduced to the Chicago City Council this week [UPDATE:that now appears to be introduced by Alderman Matt Martin] allowing Chicago tenants “affected by Covid-19” to stop paying rent for the duration of the Governor’s Stay at Home Order.  The proposed ordinance, which can be found

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Chicago Landlording in the time of Covid-19

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Ways to react to Tenants during the Coronavirus Pandemic

We are living in trying times.  People are sick.  People are out of work.  Tenants are scared.  Landlords are scared.  There is rent to pay.  There are mortgages to pay.  Everything seems uncertain.  We even read reports in the news from radical tenant’s rights activists about “rent strikes” (way to take advantage of an emergency for your own political agenda) or other “anarchist” concepts.   So, what is a Chicago landlord to do?

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Illinois eviction law amended to allow rent through stay of possession

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State of IllinoisIn an Illinois “joint action” forcible entry and detainer case (ie. an eviction lawsuit asking for both rent due and possession), plaintiffs can plead for and judges routinely award plaintiffs a judgment against defendants for pro rata rent through the day of the eviction trial.  Governor Quinn just signed into law HB 1209.  The bill, effective as of January 1, 2012, allows a landlord plaintiff to include in an eviction complaint a request for the pro rata amount of rent due for any period that a judgment for possession is stayed.  So, what does this mean?

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