Mayor Brandon Johnson’s renters’ rights bill advances, tell me about this news in (https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/09/16/mayor-brandon-johnson-renters-rights-bill/)
17-09-2026
On September 16, 2026, a key Chicago City Council panel took a major step forward on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s signature rental reform legislation, formally known as the Protecting Renters Ordinance (PRO).
Key details about the news include:
Committee Approval: The City Council’s Committee on Housing and Real Estate voted 12–9 to advance a revised version of the ordinance after hours of heated debate.
Major Concessions: To secure the votes needed to move the bill forward, Mayor Johnson made significant compromises. Most notably, he stripped out the strict “just cause” eviction mandates, which would have severely restricted landlords from choosing not to renew leases without specific fault or paying steep relocation fees. The updated proposal also scales back relocation assistance and provides exemptions for smaller, owner-occupied properties.
Core Provisions That Remain: Even with the concessions, the legislation represents the most substantial rewrite of Chicago’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO) in four decades. The measure still includes:
Caps on security deposits (generally limited to one month’s rent) and restrictions on hidden move-in fees and “junk fees.”
The creation of a mandatory citywide rental registry to track landlords and housing code compliance.
Expanded tenant rights regarding maintenance, retaliation protections, and lease terminations.
An administrative mechanism to investigate complaints and penalize non-compliant property owners.
Strong Pushback: Landlord associations and real estate groups continue to strongly oppose the ordinance, arguing that the registry fees, procedural burdens, and limits on security deposits will discourage investment and raise overall housing costs across the city.
What’s Next: The legislation now heads to the full 50-member Chicago City Council for consideration, where it is scheduled for a potential final vote on September 23, 2026.