Evergreen Park ARTICLE VII. RENTAL HOUSING § 5-363

(a) No dwelling unit may be occupied by other than the owner or owner's immediate family members who do not pay rent without having been licensed, registered and inspected. The provisions of this section apply for registration and corresponding inspections of any rental unit within the village. Residential rental housing licenses shall be capped at 10% of the then existing dwelling units in any Quadrant, regardless of housing type (whether detached, attached, or multi-family). Dwelling units developed and approved through the village's development approval process as rental units, dwelling units owned and rented by individuals on active military duty are exempted from the cap, though subject to the licensing requirement. The Building Commissioner or his or her designee will develop rules for the implementation of the Rental Housing Registration Program, including rules regarding non-conformance in the initial implementation of the program. Occupancy limits shall be determined by the applicable village codes. No person, corporation or business entity of any kind or nature whatsoever, shall engage in the business of renting any dwelling unit to the public unless a valid and current residential rental license has been issued by the Building Commissioner for the specific location. This section is not intended to apply to licensed professionals acting as brokers or agents unless licensed professionals are owners or managers of property subject to this Article. No person shall rent or occupy a dwelling unit unless a current valid license has been issued for that specific location. This licensing requirement shall not apply to group homes governed by the Specialized Living Centers Act, 405 1LCS 25/1 et seq., dealing with the developmentally disabled, or other similar uses governed by state or federal laws, rules or regulations. No residential rental housing licenses shall be issued or renewed unless the owner or owner's agent agrees in the application to the inspections as may be required pursuant to this Article. Any landlord found in violation of this Article will, in addition to any applicable and assessed fines, be prohibited from applying for any rental license in the village for a period of one year.


(b) The owner or owner's agent must be physically present at any time that an unleased dwelling unit is accessed by one or more potential lessees. Lockboxes are prohibited for the purpose of allowing prospective tenants access to a rental unit.


(c) The owner, owner's agent or rental manager must report a vacant or unoccupied rental unit to the village within seven days of discovering the unit is vacant or unoccupied and shall inspect the rental unit each week to verify the rental unit is secure and not occupied by unauthorized individuals. The village may request weekly inspection reports for such vacant or unoccupied rental units.


(Ord. No. 27-2025 § 1, 12-15-25)