HB4768: A Recipe for Fewer Affordable Rentals in Illinois
Paul Arena, Director of Legislative Affairs FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAY 13, 2024
Illinois Rental Property Owners Association
House Bill HB4768, the "Landlord Retaliation Act," is an effort by Chicago lawmakers to export their controversial regulations throughout the State. Illinois renters deserve safe and well-maintained housing. HB4768, disguised as a tenant protection measure, will have the opposite effect.
Preventing retaliation against tenants who report issues is crucial, and Illinois has a law to do that. HB4768 eliminates that law and creates an unfair system that discourages responsible housing providers from offering rentals.
Guilty Until Proven Innocent: Housing providers are presumed guilty of retaliation if they raise rent, do not renew a lease, or even change terms one year after a tenant requests a repair (even a minor one!). This forces housing providers to fight expensive legal battles to prove their innocence.
Think affordable rentals. Now imagine fewer of them. The premise of guilty until proven innocent discourages responsible housing providers from offering rentals because it unfairly subjects them to defending themselves for simply raising rent or not renewing a lease – even if unrelated to a repair request.
Many housing providers own just a few units for supplemental income. HB4768's potential lawsuits could force them to abandon the rental market altogether.
The result? Shrinking rental markets. With fewer housing providers, competition drops, leading to higher rents and less incentive for property upkeep. As property maintenance is deferred, neighborhood property value declines. Tenants, especially those seeking affordable options, are left with fewer choices and potentially lower-quality housing.
The Illinois Rental Property Owners Association offered HB4768’s sponsors compromise language that would penalize retaliation and reduce the possibility of harming mom-and-pop housing providers who act responsibly. The sponsors refused to incorporate the compromise language.
Housing providers, tenants, and neighborhood conditions will all be impacted by HB4768.
Illinois already has a challenging environment for housing providers. HB4768 worsens it. Let's encourage collaboration, not create an "us vs. them" mentality.
Call your state legislator. Tell them to oppose HB4768. Let's work towards a solution that protects tenants while ensuring a healthy rental market with affordable options for all.
Take action now! Call your Illinois State Senator and State Representative now and tell them to oppose HB4768. Let's work together for fair housing policies that protect both tenants and landlords.
Who else do you know that needs to call their State Legislator? Please forward this message to them!
This bill has momentum! This is why we ask you to please call your State Legislators NOW and ask them to VOTE NO on HB4768