Park Forest — Ch. 18 Art. III Housing § 18-254

Inspections authorized; right of entry

In Force
Verified 11/10/2026 · Next check 12/10/2026
Park ForestPeriodic Inspections

Operative Text

Park Forest — Ch. 18 Art. III Housing § 18-254
(a) The administrative official is authorized and directed to make inspections to determine the condition of dwellings, dwelling units, rooming units and premises located within the village in order that he may perform his duty of safeguarding the health and safety of the occupants of dwellings and of the general public.
(b) For the purpose of making such inspections the administrative official, or his/her authorized representative, is authorized to enter, examine and survey the interior of the dwelling unit under the following circumstances: (i) Upon a change of occupancy at the property in accordance with subsection (c) below; (ii) upon owner and/or tenant request or complaint; and, (iii) when there is probable cause to believe a code violation may exist. Probable cause may exist, but is not limited to, observation of the exterior of the property which leads the administrative official or his/her authorized representative to conclude that code violations may exist on the interior of the property, or upon request of the fire, police or health departments, who, after entering the interior of the property, have reason to believe that building code violations may exist. If the owner or occupant of a dwelling denies consent for an inspection and the administrative official petitions for a warrant to inspect, the petition shall set forth the basis for the administrative official's belief that probable cause is present.
Under the above circumstances, the official or his/her authorized representative may examine and survey all dwellings, dwelling units, rooming and its premises, for the purpose of determining whether or not there is compliance with articles II, III, and V of this chapter, article II of chapter 42 , chapter 110 , and chapter 118 .
(c) The owner or the owner's authorized agent and the occupant, if occupied on the date of inspection, of every dwelling, dwelling unit and rooming unit shall give the administrative official or his or her authorized representative access to such dwelling, dwelling unit or rooming unit and its premises, at all reasonable times, for the purposes as stated in (b) above, at all reasonable times upon presentation of proper identification and a written schedule of the specific areas and facilities to be inspected, examined and surveyed on a form prepared by the building commissioner. If any owner or the owner's authorized agent, or the occupant, if occupied as of the date of the inspection, refuses to permit free access or entry into such dwelling, dwelling unit or rooming unit or any part thereof with respect to which an inspection authorized by this Code is sought to be made, the administrative official shall petition and obtain a warrant to inspect or an order from a court of competent jurisdiction directing compliance with the inspection requirement of this article.
(d) Every occupant of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall give the owner thereof or his agent or employee access to any part of such dwelling or dwelling unit or its premises at all reasonable times for the purpose of making such repairs or alterations as are necessary to effect compliance with this article or with any lawful rule or regulation adopted or order issued pursuant to this article.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Park Forest's Ch. 18 Art. III § 18-254 authorizes the village's administrative official to inspect dwellings, dwelling units, and rooming units to protect the health and safety of occupants and the general public. Inspections may occur at a change of occupancy, upon an owner or tenant request or complaint, or when probable cause exists to believe a code violation is present. If consent is denied, the official must obtain a court-issued warrant or order before proceeding with the inspection.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on November 9, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under § 18-254, compliant property owners and their authorized agents generally provide the administrative official access to all dwelling units and premises at reasonable times when proper identification and a written inspection schedule are presented. Operators typically cooperate at change-of-occupancy inspections and ensure that tenants are aware of their own obligation to allow access for necessary repairs or alterations. When an owner declines to consent, the village may seek a judicial warrant, so maintaining clear communication with the building department is a common practice among compliant operators.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Section 18-254 gives tenants the right to request or file a complaint that triggers an official inspection of their dwelling unit, and the village is directed to respond to such requests to safeguard occupant health and safety. Tenants also have the protection that, absent their consent, the administrative official must obtain a warrant before entering, meaning entry is not unconditional. Tenants who believe their unit has code violations may contact the Park Forest building department directly, or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization to understand the range of options available under this provision.

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 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

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References Out

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References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

IL Muni § 18-255
IL Muni § 18-321
IL Muni § 18-324
IL Muni § 18-256
IL Muni § 18-254
IL Muni § 18-257
IL Muni § 18-290

Related Rules

§ 14.547
INSPECTIONS
§ 8.60.050
Extensions of time for making repairs
§ 127E
Copy of report of investigation; admissibility in evidence

Source Information