Jiménez Advances Legislation Empowering Renters to Seek Better Conditions, Preventing Retaliation

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Lilian Jiménez, D-Chicago, is working to empower renters who have spoken out about the risks they face when requesting building improvements by passing new legislation to prevent landlords from retaliating against a tenant seeking better conditions for residents.

 “As it stands, renters are vulnerable when they bring up valid concerns about the livability of their space,” Jiménez said. “When tenant protections don’t have any teeth, landlords are given carte blanche to be less responsive, more restrictive, and less accountable to their tenants. It’s unacceptable that countless renters have had to deal with eviction or an inhospitable landlord, when they complain about faulty wiring, unsafe stairwells and more. This legislation secures commonsense protections, and brings equity to our housing environment.”

Jiménez passed House Bill 4768, which prohibits landlords from knowingly taking retaliatory action against a tenant who has notified them of code violations that affect the health and livability of the unit or building. In the event a landlord moves forward with retaliation against the tenant, damages and compensatory mechanisms are in place. Protected actions by a tenant include, but are not limited to:

• Reaching out regarding code violations to a relevant governmental agency responsible for enforcement of a building, housing, health, or similar code;
• Complaining of a code violation or an illegal landlord practice to a community organization or the news media; or
• Requesting the landlord to make repairs to the premises as required by a building code, health ordinance, other regulation.

House Bill 4768 is an initiative of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, who identified that current protections do not enumerate the various ways landlords can, and do, take retaliatory actions against tenants or provide tenants with meaningful compensation or legal remedies.

House Bill 4768 passed out of the House on Tuesday, April 16.