Urbana — Ch. 12.5 Landlord-Tenant Relationships § 12.5-38
Local agent required
Operative Text
The owner of any rental unit covered by this article shall be available to respond to an emergency on a 24-hour per day basis. This requirement may be met by maintaining an operating business or owner residence within sixty (60) miles of the rental unit, or by use of a local agent who resides within Champaign County or an adjoining county, either of whom can be contacted on a 24-hour per day basis. If a local agent is used, the owner shall provide the city with the name, address, and telephone number of the local agent in addition to owner information. A post office box, mailing address, or long distance 800 numbers shall not be deemed sufficient to meet the provisions of this section.
Under Urbana Code § 12.5-38, owners of covered rental units must be reachable around the clock for emergencies. This obligation can be satisfied by operating a business or maintaining a personal residence within 60 miles of the property, or by designating a local agent who lives in Champaign County or a neighboring county and is reachable 24 hours a day. A P.O. box, mailing address, or toll-free 800 number alone does not satisfy the requirement; a genuine, direct point of contact is necessary.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Section 12.5-38 requires rental property owners in Urbana to ensure that a responsible party — either the owner directly or a designated local agent — is reachable at all hours for emergency situations. Compliant operators typically either maintain a business or residence within 60 miles of the property or formally appoint a local agent residing in Champaign County or an adjoining county. When a local agent is used, owners are expected to file that agent's name, address, and phone number with the city, keeping that information current, since a P.O. box or 800 number will not satisfy § 12.5-38.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Urbana Code § 12.5-38 gives tenants the assurance that their landlord — or a designated local agent — must be reachable 24 hours a day to respond to emergencies. If a tenant cannot reach anyone in an emergency and believes the owner has no qualifying local contact on file with the city, that may constitute a violation of this provision. Tenants who encounter this situation can look into contacting the City of Urbana's code enforcement office, reviewing the local agent information the owner is required to have on file, or reaching out to a tenant-rights organization for general guidance.
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 6, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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