For at least the third time in recent history, the Evanston City Council rejected a rental licensing scheme that would empower city staff to revoke the ability to rent property.
The most recent proposal, in addition to licensing rental properties, sought to classify rental properties into two tiers – Tier I (“good” properties) and Tier II (“bad” properties). Properties classified as Tier II would be subject to more frequent inspections, significantly higher fees, and mandated public shaming of their status. The city currently maintains a simpler rental registration ordinance.
Coupled with the licensing ordinance, city staff proposed amendments to the city’s nuisance premises ordinance which is designed to bring alleged nuisance properties – rental or owner occupied – to the table in an effort to abate the nuisances.
The North Shore – Barrington Association of REALTORS® (NSBAR), along with other concerns, echoed the sentiments of the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, Open Communities, and the American Civil Liberties Union which wrote in a joint letter that Evanston should “consider relying on its existing authority to regulate rental housing and bring enforcement actions against problem property owners.”
Evanston REALTORS®, landlords, and other interested parties, largely led by NSBAR, vehemently criticized the proposals. The turnout at the first meeting was so large the Fire Chief was compelled to direct some attendees to an annex room with a live telecast of the meeting.
Ultimately, after two city council meetings, the Evanston City Council unanimously, again, rejected rental licensing, and agreed to form a committee, comprised of aldermen and real estate professionals, to further study the nuisance premises ordinance.
“Rental licensing seems to be proposed by Evanston staff every four years, and we have been able to defeat it every time by educating the city council of its consequences and lack of necessity,” said NSBAR Past President Dan Schermerhorn (Schermerhorn & Co., Evanston). “We are very pleased that the city council listened to our concerns and has agreed to work with us on any developing any changes to existing regulations.”
