Resources

Video from the February 2014 2-day National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) Attorney General Grantee Training is available on www.IllinoisLegalAdvocate.org. Instead of webcasting, Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO) video recorded the training so the sound and picture are a better quality. ILAO has also divided the training into chapters following the 2-day NCLC training schedule; therefore, you can easily find the sections you want to watch and review. Here are the links to the training:

The City of Chicago, in partnership with tenant and landlord organizations, has formed the Rents Right campaign to educate Chicagoans about the legal responsibilities and rights of renters and property owners. With more than 60 percent of Chicagoans living in rental housing, Rents Right provides landlords and tenants with assistance in meeting their legal obligations and exercising their rights. Rents Right provides mediation for landlords and tenants to resolve disputes in an informal and non-adversarial manner.

Information about tenant rights, leases, landlord duties, security deposits, evictions, and utilities.

This is a guide for plaintiffs (usually landlords) on eviction procedures in Cook County and includes information on filing with the Sheriff, scheduling, etc.

This short animation provides a brief summary of rights for Chicago tenants under the Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO). Section 5-12-010 says the Ordinance applies to all residential rental agreements in the city. But Section 5-12-020 excludes some rentals (in favor of those landlords). Most notorious is the exclusion of rentals in buildings with 6 or fewer units that are also owner occupied.

This short animation provides a brief summary of rights for Chicago tenants under the Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO) on how to get the security deposit back from the landlord and what the tenant's rights are during the rental.

This short animation provides a brief summary of rights for Chicago tenants who rent at apartments or condos or a house that is covered by the Chicago Residential Landlord & Tenant Ordinance (RLTO) when a tenant wants to withhold rent to pay for an exterminator, or to fix a leak, or if the tenant needs to break their lease because of a more serious problem like fire, flooding, or other casualty that renders the premises unfit for living.

This is the Housing Discrimination web page at the US Dept of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) website. Federal law prohibits housing discrimination based on your race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability. If you have been trying to buy or rent a home or apartment and you believe your civil rights have been violated, you can file your fair housing complaint online.

This is the web page for the Cook County Commission on Human Rights (CCCHR). The Commission investigate, conciliates and conducts hearings on complaints of discrimination. In addition, the Commission develops and conducts educational programs designed to prevent discrimination before it occurs and to promote better relations among the Countys diverse racial, ethnic, religious, cultural and social groups.