Evanston, Ill., City Code § 5 § 5-3-1
TITLE, PURPOSE AND SCOPE (Evanston Housing Regulations)
Operative Text
(A) Short Title. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ORDINANCE . (B) Purpose And Declaration Of Policy. It is the purpose of this Chapter and the policy of the City, in order to protect and promote the public health, safety and welfare of the residents, to establish rights and obligations of the housing provider and the tenant in the rental of dwelling units and to encourage the housing provider and the tenant to maintain and improve the quality of housing. (C) Construction Of Chapter. This chapter shall be liberally construed and applied to promote its purposes and policies. (D) Scope: 1. Territorial Application. This Chapter applies to, regulates and determines rights, obligations and remedies under a rental agreement, wherever made, for a dwelling unit located within the City. 2. Exclusions. Unless created to avoid the application of this Chapter, the following arrangements are not governed by this Chapter: a. Residence at a public or private medical, geriatric, educational or religious institution; b. Occupancy under a contract of sale of a dwelling unit if the occupant is the purchaser; c. Occupancy in a structure operated for the benefit of a social or fraternal organization; d. Transient occupancy in a hotel or motel; e. Occupancy in a cooperative apartment by a shareholder of the cooperative; f. Occupancy in a licensed shared housing facility as defined in Section 5-2-1 of this Code. (E) If a residence is excluded from coverage by the exclusions in Subsection (D)2., above, the housing provider shall make this exclusion known to prospective tenants in marketing materials and shall prominently state the exclusion on any application materials before the owner accepts any fees, including but not limited to application fees, credit check fees, or holding fees. (F) The anti-lockout prohibition contained in Section 5-3-12-1 applies to all dwelling units in the City that are otherwise excluded by Subsections (D)2.b. and d. of this Section.
Evanston, Ill., City Code § 5 § 5-3-1 establishes the Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance, which sets out the rights and obligations of housing providers and tenants for dwelling units located within Evanston. The ordinance is intended to be interpreted broadly to protect public health, safety, and welfare and to encourage maintenance and improvement of housing quality. Certain living arrangements—such as hotel stays, cooperative apartments, medical or educational institutions, and licensed shared housing facilities—fall outside the ordinance's coverage, though the anti-lockout rule still applies to some of those excluded categories.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Housing providers operating rental units in Evanston should be aware that Evanston, Ill., City Code § 5 § 5-3-1 broadly governs rental agreements for dwelling units within the city, regardless of where the agreement was signed. When a property or arrangement qualifies for one of the listed exclusions—such as transient hotel occupancy or cooperative apartment ownership—compliant operators disclose that exclusion clearly in marketing materials and on any application materials before collecting any fees, including application, credit check, or holding fees. Housing providers should also note that even excluded properties remain subject to the ordinance's anti-lockout prohibition under Section 5-3-12-1.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Evanston, Ill., City Code § 5 § 5-3-1 is the foundational provision of the city's Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance, which is designed to be interpreted broadly in favor of protecting tenant rights and promoting housing quality. Tenants renting a dwelling unit within Evanston are generally covered by this ordinance, and if a housing provider claims an exclusion applies, they are required to disclose that exclusion in writing before collecting any fees. Tenants who believe an exclusion is being improperly claimed, or who have questions about their coverage, may wish to consult a local tenant-rights organization or the City of Evanston for guidance on available remedies.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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