To the relief of Illinois landlords, a bill that would ban move-in fees for renters and cap credit and background check fees at $20 failed to advance beyond the Illinois House of Representatives before the state’s legislative session came to a close this weekend.
The proposal, sponsored by Rep. Nabeela Syed, caused a stir among landlords and faced opposition from local industry groups.
“As written, the legislation would have imposed broad prohibitions on standard fees, rigid limitations on security deposits, and expanded civil liability risks — undermining local control and increasing the cost of providing housing,” said Michael Mini of Chicagoland Apartment Association following the session’s adjournment.
Move-in fees have escalated in Chicago over the past decade as a means to get around the city’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance which dictates strict policies regarding security deposits.
When Syed’s proposal advanced through the Illinois House, the chorus of opposition from industry groups, including Illinois Realtors, grew louder.
The Neighborhood Building Owner’s Alliance rallied real estate professionals on social media platforms, urging them to speak out against the bill that the group called “Bad for our tenants and bad for our neighborhoods.”
Both groups stated that they would work with the bill’s sponsor on a different approach to similar legislation in the future.
Meanwhile, other real estate related bills were up for consideration by state legislators before the end of the session. Below is a list of real estate related bills that did and did not make it to the governor’s desk. Descriptions of the bills can be found here.
- The Illinois Home Buyer Savings Accounts Act (Senate Bill 148): did not advance
- Restrictions of squatters’ rights (Senate Bill 1563): passed
- Amendments to local impact fees (Senate Bill 1959): did not advance
- Local Accessory Dwelling Unit Act (House Bill 1813): did not advance
- The Missing Middle Housing Act (House BIll 1814): did not advance
- A requirement for landlords to report income information (House Bill 1827): did not advance
- The Chicago Downtown Revitalization Task Force (HB 2757): did not advance
- An elimination of crime-free housing ordinances (House Bill 3110): did not advance
- The Utility Data Access Act (House Bill 3312): did not advance