Category: Healthy Homes

Guides about health hazards in your home or apartment.

Tenant Wins – Power Restored in More Ways Than One

Posted on by Gordon Dymowski

Empowerment often begins with knowledge. Earlier this year, on the MTO hotline, MTO spoke with a man from Chicago’s Pullman neighborhood. He is a disabled veteran living on a limited income. For three years, he had been paying more than $200 a month to ComEd and could not understand why his bill was so high. Eventually, the cost became unmanageable, and his power was shut off.

When the electricity was disconnected, his neighbors also lost power in parts of their apartments and in the hallway. It became clear that he had been unfairly paying for electricity that served other units.

Through our conversation, he learned what his rights are and what steps he could take. He decided to write a letter to the property owner stating that:

  • The owner is responsible for all charges beyond his actual usage,
  • He is seeking compensation for the overpayments, and
  • The landlord must place the utility account in their own name until the issue is resolved.

At the end of the call, he said, “Now I have a plan I can implement.” That moment

When someone realizes they have options and a path forward is empowerment.

From Crisis to Compensation: Organizing Works!

Posted on by Gordon Dymowski

In May 2025, our team responded to an urgent call from a tenant who had just received a devastating notice: their building had been declared uninhabitable by the Department of Buildings, and all residents were required to vacate within two days.

MTO mobilized immediately. That same day, MTO Building Organizer, David Wilson, went on-site to meet with tenants, explain their rights, and walk them through what to expect when a building is shut down due to landlord negligence. By Wednesday, the situation had escalated, and Chicago police and a court-appointed receiver arrived to clear the building, using methods that felt coercive and dehumanizing, with tenants treated more like criminals than residents.

Despite the urgency and uncertainty, MTO, in partnership with Law Center for Better Housing (LCBH), remained on the ground, working closely with the Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) and the Red Cross to secure emergency shelter for displaced residents. At the same time, staff began advocating for tenants to receive compensation for the hardship they were facing.

Out of the 72-unit building, we were able to connect directly with 22 tenants. Many others had already left, unwilling to endure the deteriorating conditions.

MTO and LCBH negotiated with the receiver, who initially offered tenants between $650 and $800 in compensation. Recognizing that this was insufficient given the circumstances, our team pushed back. Through persistent advocacy and negotiation, we secured a revised offer of $2,000 per tenant, an outcome that tenants felt was far more fair.

This case is a powerful example of how rapid response, community collaboration, and organizing can make a meaningful difference.

RELEASE: Chicago City Council Passes Ordinance Establishing​ Proactive Rental Inspection Working Group

Posted on by Gordon Dymowski

Chicago Healthy Homes Coalition LogoWe are proud to have been part of the Chicago Healthy Homes Coalition’s work to pass this Working Group Ordinance. We look forward to further organizing and collaborating to ensure that Chicago renters/tenants have safe, secure housing. Along with the City of Chicago’s efforts to establish a rental registry, this demonstrates that housing is increasingly seen as a human right.

You can find more details via this Block Club Chicago article

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Breathing Room: MTO Helps a Family Escape Unsafe Housing

Posted on by Gordon Dymowski

Toxic Air in Residential Apartment

Mr. Thomas came through MTO’s doors as a walk-in. He was desperate for help because his apartment was constantly filled with smoke, debris, and other fumes. Despite his repeated pleas to fix the problem, his landlord had done nothing. Mr. Thomas’s seven-year-old son suffers from bronchial asthma. His unit’s noxious air exacerbated his son’s asthma, repeatedly landing him in the hospital emergency room. Mr. Thomas tried to work out a solution and even offered to pay money to the owner to let him out of his lease, but the owner denied his requests.

MTO’s Staff Attorney intervened on his behalf.

After some back and forth, the property owner learned about the potential legal consequences. As a result, they negotiated an agreement that allowed Mr. Thomas to move and receive needed relocation assistance. Now, Mr. Thomas and his son are living in a safe, healthy apartment without the threat of eviction or collections hanging over their heads.

Advocating Using the Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO)

Posted on by Gordon Dymowski


When Naeema moved into her new apartment, she was excited and thinking about the future in her new home. Within the first month, problems began appearing: the toilet would not flush, water pressure was not enough for a proper shower, and roaches scuttled across her floors.

Despite multiple attempts to get her property manager to address these problems, her concerns went unanswered, leaving her feeling stuck and frustrated. That is when Naeema reached out to MTO for help. After listening to her concerns, hotline counselors explained her rights under the Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO), including her remedies for dealing with a neglectful landlord and her right to complain to Chicago’s Department of Buildings for an inspection.

With this information, Naeema felt empowered to act. Together, we helped her draft a letter to the management company detailing the issues and her rights as a tenant. The results were immediate.

Management agreed to let Naeema out of her lease without penalty and offered to refund her first month’s rent and move-in fee. Following this breakthrough, Naeema conducted a walkthrough of the apartment with the property manager. The unit was in the same condition as when she moved in, and the manager confirmed the refund and lease termination. Within that same week, Naeema picked up her refund check, covering her first month’s rent and move-in fees in full. She then moved out, leaving behind the stressful conditions and regaining peace of mind. Naeema’s persistence, combined with the right support and knowledge of her tenant rights, turned a demanding situation into a positive resolution. Now, she is ready for a fresh start in a home that meets her needs.

A Life Disrupted: Lead in the Home

Posted on by Gordon Dymowski

The walls were covered with garbage bags, construction paper and tape to contain the lead paint.When a child is harmed by lead within the home, family life gets immediately upended. This was true for Michael and Eileen Buchanan, whose 14-month-old tested positive for elevated blood lead levels. A Chicago city inspector confirmed high lead levels throughout their unit.

Right away, Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan changed their lives to protect their child’s health. The Buchanan family began to look for a safe, lead-free place to move. Since they had neither the means nor the opportunity to move immediately, they altered their apartment unit. Their once-cozy home became unrecognizable.

The Buchanans, when possible, traveled to Michigan at their own expense to stay with family and to avoid their unit. Medical bills piled up. Mr. Buchanan had to take off work to focus on taking care of his 14-month-old, putting his job at risk. Adding to the stress was the terror of not knowing how the lead would impact their child, and whether their child would experience long-term health consequences commonly associated with elevated blood lead levels. With help from MTO’s Healthy Homes Organizer, LiMei Vera, and MTO’s Staff Attorney, Philip DeVon, the Buchanans were able to successfully negotiate with their Landlord. While they secured a lease termination agreement and ample relocation assistance, they did not come out unscathed.

The Buchanans’ story is representative of a larger problem faced by tenants in Chicago: without proactive inspections, great responsibility falls on tenants to protect their children from invisible hazards in the unit. When their children are harmed by lead in the unit, they must abruptly make great adjustments in order to keep their children safe. These adjustments are costly – both in terms of time and money – and occur during a time of emotional distress and turmoil. With stories like the Buchanans’ happening throughout the city, our response is clear: we need proactive inspections of all rental units in order to protect children and their families from hazards in the home.

Asthma – FAQ

Posted on by admin

 

What is asthma?
Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs that makes it very difficult to breathe. The small and medium airways swell and fill with mucus when they come into contact with certain environmental allergens. In some cases, asthma can cause death. Asthma cannot be cured but it can be controlled through medications and cleaning up your environment.

What allergens found in the home can cause asthma?
Dust mites are a common allergen that can trigger an asthma attack. Dust mites can be found in carpets, drapes, overstuffed furniture, and bedding and the result of poor air sealing of windows and doors can allow outside dust into the home.
Other common household hazards that can trigger asthma attacks are:
* Leaking plumbing and roofs; water damaged areas
* Poor ventilation in bathrooms and kitchens
* Basements and crawlspaces without proper drainage or moisture control
* Infestations of cockroaches, mice and rats can cause allergic reactions
* Extreme temperature shifts, either hot or cold, can trigger asthma attacks

Many of these conditions are violations of the building code. Learn how to enforce your right to a healthier home here.

Does the landlord have to provide heat and air-conditioning if I have asthma?
The landlord must provide heat from heat September 15 – June 1. The landlord must maintain the following minimum temperatures:
68 degrees from 8:30 am to 10:30 pm
66 degrees from 10:30 pm – 8:30 am
The landlord is not required to provide air-conditioning.

Learn more about Healthy Home Healthy Child: The Westside Children’s Asthma Partnership

Get more information about city-wide data via the Chicago Health Atlas

Lead – FAQ

Posted on by admin

Know the facts about lead:

  • What is lead? Lead is a heavy metal that is harmful to your health.
  • Where is lead found? The most common sources of lead are found in the home! Chipping paint and dust in homes built prior to 1978, tap water, soil and some toys and jewelry are the most common sources of lead. You can’t always see lead, even when it is present.
  • What amount of lead is safe? Lead in the body is not safe at ANY level.  It only takes a very small amount to cause life-long health problems, including learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and other health issues.
  • What are the long-term effects of lead poisoning? Lead can damage organs, stunt neurological development and may even cause death.
  • What are some of the warning signs of lead poisoning? Stomach pains, constipation, poor appetite, sleep problems, headaches, issues with sleeping.
  • How do I know if I have lead in my home? If your home was built prior to 1978, there is a good chance there is lead in your home but the only way to positively identify lead is with testing. The Department of Health offers free testing if your child has recently been found with elevated levels of lead.
  • Who’s responsible for addressing lead sources in the home? The landlord is responsible. Under federal law, at the start of a tenancy, the landlord must provide tenants with a lead disclosure form that details any known lead hazard in your unit or the common areas and a copy of the EPA booklet “Protect Your Family from Lead in your Home“. Under 2004 Childhood Lead Prevention Act, the landlord must also post a notice if a lead hazard has been found in another unit. That notice must remain posted until all documented hazards are properly repaired.
  • What if the landlord refuses to address lead sources? Call the Renter’s Hotline at 773-292-4988 M-F, 1-5pm or call the city of Chicago’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention program at 312.747.LEAD[5323]. You may request an inspection. If the landlord refuses to make repairs and old paint is pulling away from the wall, cracking, chipping or peeling and it is a code violation, you can give the landlord a 14-day written notice to reduce your rent. See “Apartment Repairs and Conditions“
  • What can I do to reduce the risk of exposure? 
    • Ask your doctor to test your child for lead
    • Regularly wet-mop floors and wet-wipe windows
    • Remove shoes when entering the home
    • Teach your children to wash their hands before eating
    • Do not use pottery for cooking or serving without knowing if the glaze has lead
    • Do not disturb paint without protecting your family from the dust
    • Feed your child a diet high in iron, calcium and vitamin C – all help fight lead in the child’s body
    • Test your water for lead and use a EPA approved filter
    • Test soil around home and do not plant a garden before confirming that soil is safe
    • Regularly check recall lists for toys, jewelry and other household items which may have lead

Still can’t find the answer? Send us your questions. Please allow several days for a response. Or to speak with a Healthy Homes Organizer, call 773.292.4980 ext. 225.

Chicago Needs Proactive Rental Inspections to Protect People’s Health

Posted on by Javier Ruiz
Chicago tenants have a right to heat!

Last December, as the temperature outside plummeted, the heat in Ms. Payan’s apartment stopped working. In addition to the lack of heat, Ms. Payan also experienced flooding in her apartment. Multiple conversations with the landlord yielded no improvements. In fact, the landlord threatened Ms. Payan that she would have to pay for the repairs.  Ms. Payan contacted MTO’s Healthy Homes Organizer, Angelica Ugarte, for help.

Angelica helped Ms. Payan to use Chicago’s tenants’ ordinance to terminate the lease and avoid paying rent for the last month so that Ms. Payan could have the money to relocate.  The results of this story are rare. Far too many tenants experience retaliation from their landlord and face eviction when they request repairs or take the necessary steps to assert their rights under the law.  Tenants are educated and empowered by MTO to understand the process and challenge abusive practices in their building. There is little accountability for slum landlords to follow building codes or ensure that apartments are in habitable condition throughout the tenancy.

The only way to hold slum landlords accountable is through regular inspections.  Inspections should not wait until a crisis occurs such as the one faced by Ms. Payan.  Chicago needs an inspection program that promotes regular maintenance.  We encourage you to support the proactive inspection program, CHIPP (Chicago Proactive Inspection Program) which is calling for legislation to mandate routine inspection of all Chicago’s rental apartments.  If you or someone you know would like to join our efforts to promote CHIPP, please call (773) 292-4980.