Chicago City Hall – On Wednesday the Housing Committee will consider a revised version of the Protecting Renters Ordinance (PRO). The mayor’s office announced this week that the ordinance will no longer require landlords to pay relocation assistance to tenants displaced through no fault of their own, and it also removes the “just cause” lease‑termination provision.
Mayor’s rationale
In a statement released Tuesday, the mayor’s office explained that the change was a “difficult decision” made to preserve the ordinance’s core tenant‑rights provisions while addressing concerns from small‑landlord advocates. “My administration is committed to eliciting feedback from advocates and small landlords as we engage with members of City Council to settle on a final piece of legislation that delivers meaningful protections for renters,” the statement read.
What the original bill included
The original PRO, introduced by Mayor Brandon Johnson in June, sought to ban move‑in fees, create a citywide rental registry, establish a tenant bill of rights, and form a new Bureau of Rental Housing Services within the Department of Housing. It also required “just cause” reasons for non‑renewal of leases and mandated relocation assistance ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, depending on the reason for displacement.
Key changes in the revised draft
The revised draft eliminates both the just‑cause requirement and the relocation‑assistance mandate. Under the earlier version, landlords could end a lease only for nonpayment, serious lease violations, owner occupancy, major repairs, demolition, or sale of the unit. When a tenant was forced out for reasons such as owner occupancy or major repairs, landlords would have been required to pay a relocation fee – $5,000 to $10,000 for most units, reduced to $3,000 or three months’ rent for nonprofits and small owner‑occupied buildings.
Mayor Johnson’s public comments
During a press briefing, Mayor Johnson sidestepped direct questions about the removal of just‑cause protections, instead emphasizing the ordinance’s remaining provisions. “The stakeholders that I’ve spoken with have made incredible ground in coming up with a package that works for the people of Chicago, and what’s best is ensuring that those families who need affordable, regulated housing have the support systems in place to make sure that we’re not doing anything as a city that’s making it harder for people to actually live in Chicago,” he said.
Opposition and alternative proposal
Alderman Gilbert Villegas (36th Ward) and a coalition of aldermen have introduced a competing ordinance called FAIR. The FAIR proposal omits landlord registration fees, places the rental registry under the Department of Buildings, and adds measures aimed at increasing housing supply, such as streamlined approvals for conversion projects of at least 40 units. Villegas estimates he has about 26 votes for FAIR and will need 34 to overcome a potential mayoral veto.
Critics of PRO argue that the relocation‑assistance requirement would make new housing development more expensive and could deter investment. Supporters of the mayor’s compromise say the removal of the costly provision makes the ordinance more palatable to small landlords while still protecting renters from unlawful evictions.
Next steps
The PRO will be heard Wednesday in the Committee on Housing and Real Estate, chaired by Alderman Byron Sigcho‑Lopez, a mayoral ally. The FAIR ordinance is scheduled for a Thursday hearing in the Zoning Committee, chaired by Alderman Villegas. Both measures must clear committee before a full City Council vote.
Mayor Johnson has pledged to continue gathering input from community groups, tenant advocates, and property owners as the city works toward a final, balanced renters‑protection framework.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
