(A) The owner of any building or premises within the city who knows or should have known that his or her building is or has become a vacant building or premises within the meaning of this chapter, shall apply for a vacant building registration certificate and pay a registration fee of $300 for a vacant building within 30 days of receiving the initial notice. At the time of such registration, the owner shall submit a completed application, including the building plan statement of intent, and within 30 days acquire or otherwise maintain liability insurance, or a homeowner's insurance policy as required by this chapter.
(B) The application shall include the name, street address and telephone number of an individual 21 years of age or older, designated by the owner as the authorized agent for receiving notices of code violations and for receiving process, in any court proceeding or administrative enforcement proceeding, on behalf of such owner or owners in connection with the enforcement of this chapter. The authorized agent must either reside in or maintain an office within Cook County, Illinois. Any owner who meets the residency or office requirement may designate him/herself as the authorized agent. By designating an authorized agent under the provisions of this section the owner is consenting to receive any and all notices of code violations concerning the registered building and all process in any court proceeding or administrative enforcement proceeding brought to enforce code provisions concerning the registered building by service of the notice or process on the authorized agent. Any owner who has designated an authorized agent under the provisions of this section shall be deemed to consent to the continuation of the agent's designation for the purposes of this section until the owner notifies the city of a change of authorized agent. The application shall also include a building plan statement of intent where the owner must select from the presented options to indicate what they plan to do with the building Any owner who fails to register a vacant building under the provisions of this section shall further be deemed to consent to receive, by posting at the building, any and all notices of code violations and all process in an administrative proceeding brought to enforce code provisions concerning the building. If the building or lot is initially registered after the 30 day period, the initial fee shall be doubled to $600.
(C) The owner of a vacant building shall immediately lock, barricade or secure all doors, windows and other openings in the building to prohibit entry by unauthorized persons, in accordance with the vacant building maintenance standards of this chapter.
(D) The owner of a vacant building shall comply with all regulations of the city. To this end, the owner shall apply for all building, fire prevention and zoning permits necessary to bring the structure into compliance before obtaining a vacant building registration certificate. The owner of a vacant building shall, before obtaining the vacant building registration certificate, complete the removal of all: 1) combustible materials from the structure in compliance with the applicable fire prevention regulations; 2) waste, rubbish or debris from the interior of the building: and 3) waste, rubbish, debris or excessive vegetation from the yards surrounding the vacant building in accordance with the vacant building maintenance standards of this chapter.
(E) The owner of a vacant building shall, within 30 days, acquire or otherwise maintain liability insurance, or a homeowner's insurance policy provided that such policy continues to cover third party liability, even if the insured building becomes occupied, in an amount of not less than $300,000 for buildings designed primarily for use as residential units and not less than $1,000,000 for any other building, including, but not limited to, buildings designed for manufacturing, industrial, storage or commercial uses, covering any damage to any person or any property caused by any physical condition of or in the building and maintain coverage until the building is no longer vacant. Any insurance policy acquired after the building has become vacant shall provide for written notice to the Building Department within 30 days of any lapse, cancellation, or change in coverage. The owner shall provide evidence of insurance, upon initial registration and all subsequent registration renewals. Failure to provide evidence of a valid insurance policy will be considered a violation of this chapter.
(F) The obligations of the owner of a vacant building are continuing obligations which are effective throughout the time of vacancy, as that term is defined in this chapter.
(G) The mortgagee of any residential building that has become vacant and which is not registered pursuant to this chapter shall, within the later of 30 days after the building becomes vacant and unregistered or 60 days after a default, file a registration statement with the Building Department as set forth herein, and shall have all the obligations of an owner as set forth herein.
(H) All previous violations and dues on a property must be settled before a vacant building certificate can be issued.
(I) The owner of a vacant building shall post the vacant building certificate provided by the Director affixed to the building indicating the name, address, and telephone number of the owner and the owner's authorized agent for the purpose of service of process. The name, address, and telephone number of a person responsible for day-to-day supervision and management of the building, if such person is different from the owner holding title or authorized agent shall be indicated on the sign as well. All contact information posted in the sign must remain current and if the contact information is found to be outdated or invalid then the owner will be found in violation of this chapter and subject to penalty according to this chapter. The sign shall be of a size and placed in such a location as to be legible from the nearest public street or sidewalk, whichever is nearer.
(Ord. 20-31, passed 5-26-2020; Ord. 23-06, passed 3-14-2023)