Chicago would make every condo owner who rents register and pay per unit
Chicago would make every condo owner who rents register and pay per unit
2026-09-10 · Illinois · Regulation · Pending — not yet law
What happened. Ordinance O2026-0026554, the Protecting Renters Ordinance, is a comprehensive rewrite of Chicago's roughly forty-year-old Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance at Municipal Code Chapter 5-12. It was introduced directly to the Committee on Housing and Real Estate on June 25, 2026, with a subject-matter hearing on June 29, and a committee vote scheduled for September 16, 2026.1
It is not law. It affects more than 600,000 renter households, and it reaches Chicago condominium owners who lease their units.
The rental registry
Annual registration of all non-owner-occupied rental units, covering 500,000-plus units, at:
- $20 per unit for buildings of 1–4 units;
- $40 per unit for 5–49 units;
- $60 per unit for 50 or more units.
Projected to raise about $20 million annually, administered by a new Bureau of Rental Housing Services inside the Department of Housing, which would process and investigate complaints, provide emergency rental and eviction assistance, and coordinate enforcement.
The rest of the package
A ban on hidden “junk” fees, with application and processing charges eliminated and all fees required to reflect actual documented costs. Algorithmic pricing disclosure — landlords must disclose use of rent-setting tools. Security deposits capped at one month's rent and move-in fees effectively prohibited. Notice periods extended to as much as 180 days depending on tenancy length. A Tenant Bill of Rights.
Just cause, and the provision aimed squarely at condominiums
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