Sleepy Hollow — Title 4 Ch. 6 Property Maintenance; Removals § 4-6-2
Lien for removal costs
Operative Text
A. The costs incurred by the village for any such maintenance work performed on private property, including, but not limited to, cutting of any nuisance greenery; the removal of any trash or debris; cutting of any infected tree; and/or pest control activities for extermination or prevention of ingress on private property, together with the costs incurred by the village for recording the notice of lien described herein, shall be a lien upon the real estate, if within 60 days after such costs and expenses are incurred, the village records a notice of lien in the office of the recorder of Kane County. B. Any such notice of lien shall contain at least the following information: 1. A description of the real estate sufficient for identification thereof. 2. The amount of the money representing the cost and expense incurred or payable for the service, and the cost of recording. 3. The date or dates when such cost and expense was incurred by the village. C. The village may not claim any lien for the cost associated with the removal of graffiti.
Sleepy Hollow — Title 4 Ch. 6 § 4-6-2 establishes a mechanism by which the village can place a lien on private real estate to recover costs it incurs for certain maintenance work performed on that property. Covered activities include cutting nuisance vegetation, removing trash or debris, trimming infected trees, and conducting pest control. To create a valid lien, the village must record a notice in the Kane County recorder's office within 60 days of incurring the costs, and the notice must identify the property, the amount owed, and the date(s) the costs were incurred. Notably, the village is expressly prohibited under § 4-6-2(C) from claiming a lien for graffiti removal costs.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Sleepy Hollow — Title 4 Ch. 6 § 4-6-2, property owners who allow nuisance vegetation, debris, infected trees, or pest infestations to go unaddressed risk having the village step in to perform the work and then record a lien against the property in Kane County. Compliant property operators generally stay current on maintenance obligations so that the village has no occasion to intervene and incur costs on their behalf. Owners who receive notice of a recorded lien should review the lien's contents — including the property description, cost amount, and service dates — to verify accuracy against the requirements set out in § 4-6-2(B).
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Sleepy Hollow — Title 4 Ch. 6 § 4-6-2 can be relevant to tenants because a lien recorded against a property for unpaid village maintenance costs may affect the property's title and the landlord's financial standing. Tenants who observe that a landlord is failing to address conditions such as pest infestations, overgrown vegetation, or debris accumulation may find it useful to document those conditions and understand that the village has authority to act and recover costs through a lien. Tenant-rights organizations and local housing resources can help tenants understand how this provision interacts with any lease obligations or habitability rights that may apply to their situation.
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.
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