This summer, Chicago has a unique opportunity to bring about HUGE advances to tenants’ rights, safety, and welfare throughout our city.
On June 29, Mayor Brandon Johnson will introduce the Protecting Renters Ordinance, or PRO, into the Chicago City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate.
PRO is a comprehensive package with policies MTO has supported for years, that would enhance tenants’ lives:
- Just Cause for Eviction: requiring landlords to provide a valid reason for not renewing a lease, and to pay relocation assistance to tenants who are forced to move through no fault of their own
- Right to Counsel: setting the stage for all tenants to have legal representation in eviction court
- Modernizing the Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance: updating the 40+ year old laws with improvements, including a cap on security deposits and banning move-in fees
- Citywide Rental Registry: creating a publicly accessible database of all landlords in Chicago, to inform tenants of ownership and other management details
- Bureau of Rental Housing Services: establishing a new City agency dedicated to enforcing tenant protection laws and educating tenants and landlords about their rights and responsibilities
The real estate industry is pushing as hard as it can to prevent PRO from passing. But there are more of us than them: if we come together and fight, we will win!
MTO is here to help you figure out how you can plug in to support the PRO. Whether it’s calling your alderperson, attending a meeting at City Hall, or reaching out to neighbors, you are in this. Every action matters!
Wondering where to start? On Monday, June 22, join us from 6:30 to 7:30 pm CDT on Zoom for an info session on the Protecting Renters Ordinance and how you can fight for it, led by MTO staff. Click this link and sign up for our session!
Can’t make it? Email tulsi@tenants-rights.org and say you’re interested in supporting the PRO. She’ll get back to you with opportunities to get plugged in!