DeKalb, IL Municipal Code Ch. 10 Landlord-Tenant Regulations § 10.20
Disclosure of Flood Risk
Operative Text
It shall be unlawful for a Landlord who rents premises for any use which are located within an area designated as a special flood hazard area according to the current official City of DeKalb Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) or Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM) to fail to provide written notice of this fact to all prospective Tenants of said premises prior to the execution of any written lease(s) entered into between the parties. a) Form of Notice. The notice referred to above shall be contained on an 8 ½" x 11" sheet of paper with no less than 12-point type and shall be in a form prescribed by the Chief of Police. Following the execution of the notice, Tenant shall sign the notice and the Landlord shall promptly provide a copy of the executed notice to the Tenant. b) Delivery of Notice, Presumptions. In the event of a dispute between Landlord and Tenant concerning the delivery of said Notice required herein, failure by the Landlord to produce a signed original or copy thereof executed by the Tenant shall create a rebuttable presumption that the Landlord failed to deliver said Notice as required. c) Enforcement. Landlords violating this Section shall be liable and shall pay a fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) per occurrence. In addition, Tenants may choose to terminate the lease and pay for rent up to the day of vacancy. The Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710) and the Tenants right to a final walkthrough (Section 10.12, End of Lease Inspection) apply. d) Civil Action. This Section shall not prevent any Tenant from pursuing any civil claim, remedy or action for damages resulting from a violation of this Section.
DeKalb Municipal Code § 10.20 requires landlords to give prospective tenants written notice before signing a lease if the rental property sits within a special flood hazard area as identified on the City of DeKalb's official FIRM or FHBM maps. The notice must be on a standard 8½" × 11" sheet in at least 12-point type, follow a form set by the Chief of Police, and be signed by the tenant, with a copy returned to them promptly. Landlords who fail to comply face fines between $100 and $500 per occurrence, and tenants affected by a violation may have the right to terminate the lease early or pursue civil remedies.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 10.20, operators renting property in a designated special flood hazard area generally obtain the Chief of Police–prescribed notice form, present it to prospective tenants before any lease is signed, collect the tenant's signature, and promptly provide the tenant with a signed copy. Retaining the original signed notice is critical: § 10.20(b) establishes that an inability to produce a signed original or copy creates a rebuttable presumption that notice was never delivered. Fines for non-compliance range from $100 to $500 per occurrence, and a violation can also expose a landlord to lease termination by the tenant and potential civil liability.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 10.20 of the DeKalb Municipal Code gives prospective tenants the right to receive written flood-hazard notice before signing a lease for property in a designated special flood hazard area. If a landlord cannot produce a signed copy of that notice, § 10.20(b) creates a rebuttable presumption in the tenant's favor that the notice was never delivered. Tenants who did not receive the required disclosure may have grounds to terminate the lease and pay only through the day of vacancy, and § 10.20(d) preserves the right to pursue civil claims for damages — tenant-rights organizations or legal aid services can help explain what options may be available.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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