In January, Commissioner Britton led the unanimous passage of the Cook County Residential Tenant Landlord Ordinance (RTLO) - creating the first renters-rights and landlord-protections legislation in suburban Cook County history. New protections for more than 245,000 renter households include caps on runaway fees, pathways to ensure timely repairs, and mandates for the return of security deposits.
The RTLO went into effect in June. To aid in the education of these new rights and responsibilities for tenants and landlords, a summary pamphlet was produced and translated into Spanish and Polish. A new website highlights key aspects of the legislation and includes a video summary and links to local legal aid resources. Commissioner Britton also hosted a number of webinars.
The RTLO would not have been possible without the leadership, expertise, support, and cleverness of Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County, CAFHA, Housing Action Illinois, Housing Choice Partners Chicago, Illinois Legal Aid, Lawyers Committee for Better Housing, Metropolitan Tenants Organization, Neighbors for Affordable Housing, North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic, and PASO.
