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ARTICLE VIII. BED BUGS. (7-28-810 et seq.)
As used in this article, the following terms are defined as follows:
"Bedding" means any mattress, box spring, foundation, or studio couch made in whole or part from new or secondhand fabric, filling material, or other textile product or material and which can be used for sleeping or reclining purposes.
"Commissioner" means the commissioner of public health.
"Dwelling unit", "landlord", "rent" and "tenant" have the meaning ascribed to those terms in Section 5-12-030.
"Multiple rental unit building" means a building which contains two or more rental units. A "multiple rental unit building" does not include a condominium or cooperative building.
"Pest Management Professional" means a person who: (i) is licensed, registered or certified by the State of Illinois to perform pest control services pursuant to the Structural Pest Control Act, 235 ILCS 235: (ii) has attended courses or undergone training for the proper method for the extermination of bed bugs; and (iii) follows National Pest Management Association Best Practices for the extermination of bed bugs.
"Rental unit" means any dwelling unit which is not owner occupied and is held out for rent to tenants, including any single family home held out for rent to tenants.
(Added Coun. J. 6-5-13, p. 55787, § 5)
(a) In any rental unit in which an infestation of bed bugs is found or reasonably suspected, it is the responsibility of the landlord to: (1) provide pest control services by a pest management professional until such time that no evidence of bed bugs can be found and verified; and (2) maintain a written record of the pest control measures performed by the pest management professional on the rental unit. The record shall include reports and receipts prepared by the pest management professional. The record shall be maintained for three years and shall be open to inspection by authorized city personnel, including but not limited to employees of the departments of health and buildings.
(b) In any multiple rental unit building in which an infestation of bed bugs is found or reasonably suspected, it is the responsibility of the landlord to: (1) provide pest control services by a pest management professional until such time that no evidence of bed bugs can be found and verified within the building or portion thereof, including the individual rental units; and (2) maintain a written record of the pest control measures performed by pest management professional on the building. The record shall include reports and receipts prepared by the pest management professional. The record shall be maintained for three years and shall be open to inspection by authorized city personnel, including but not limited to employees of the departments of health and buildings.
(c) A landlord shall provide the pest control services within 10 days after: (1) a bed bug is found or reasonably suspected anywhere on the premises; or (2) being notified in writing by a tenant of a known or reasonably suspected bed bug infestation on the premises or in the tenant's rental unit.
(d) The extermination of bed bugs shall be by:
(1) inspection, and if necessary, the treatment of the dwelling unit on either side of the affected dwelling unit and the unit directly above and below the affected dwelling unit. This pattern of inspection and treatment shall be continued until no further infestation is detected; or
(2) any other method approved by the commissioner in rules and regulations.
(e) A landlord may not knowingly terminate a tenancy, increase rent, decrease services, bring or threaten to bring a lawsuit against a tenant for possession or refuse to renew a lease or tenancy because the tenant has in good faith:
(1) complained of a bed bug infestation within the tenant's rental unit or the premises in which the tenant's rental unit is located to a competent governmental agency, elected representative or public official charged with responsibility for enforcement of a building, housing, health or similar code;
(2) complained of a bed bug infestation within the tenant's rental unit or the premises in which the tenant's rental unit is located to a community organization or the news media;
(3) sought the assistance of a community organization or the news media to remedy a bed bug infestation within the tenant's rental unit or the premises in which the tenant's rental unit is located;
(4) requested the landlord to provide pest control measures for a bed bug infestation as required by a building code, health ordinance, other regulation, or the residential rental agreement; or
(5) testified in any court or administrative proceeding concerning any bed bug infestation within the tenant's rental unit or the premises in which the tenant's rental unit is located.
If the landlord acts in violation of this subsection (e), the tenant has a defense in any retaliatory action against him for possession and is entitled to recover possession of the rental unit or terminate the rental agreement and, in either case, may recover an amount equal to two months rent or twice the damages sustained by him, whichever is greater, and reasonable attorneys' fees. If the rental agreement is terminated, the landlord shall return all security and interest recoverable under Section 5-12-080 and all prepaid rent. In an action by or against the tenant, if there is evidence of tenant conduct protected herein within one year prior to the alleged act of retaliation, that evidence shall create a rebuttable presumption that the landlord's conduct was retaliatory. The presumption shall not arise if the protected tenant activity was initiated after the alleged act of retaliation.
(Added Coun. J. 6-5-13, p. 55787, § 5)
(a) No later than 90 days after the effective date of this section, the governing association of a condominium or cooperative building shall prepare a pest management plan for the detection, inspection and treatment of bed bugs in the building. The plan shall include the provisions of Section 7-28-830(c).
(b) The governing association shall maintain written records of any pest control measures in the building performed by a pest management professional retained by the governing association and any report prepared by the pest management professional. The plan and records shall be: (1) maintained either on-site in the building or at the property management office; (2) maintained for three years; and (3) open to inspection upon request by authorized city personnel, including but not limited to employees of the departments of health and buildings.
(c) Every owner of condominium unit or a lessee with a proprietary lease in a cooperative shall immediately notify, in writing, the governing association of any known or reasonably suspected bed bug infestation in the presence of the unit or cooperative, clothing, furniture or other personal property located in the unit or cooperative, and cooperate with the governing association in the control, treatment and eradication of bed bug infestation found or suspected to be in the unit or cooperative.
(d) For purposes of this section the following definitions apply:
"Condominium unit" or "unit" has the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 13-72-010.
"Cooperative building" means a building or buildings and the tract, lot, or parcel on which the building or buildings are located and fee title to the land and building or buildings is owned by a corporation or other legal entity in which the shareholders or other co-owners each also have a long-term proprietary lease or other long-term arrangement of exclusive possession for a specific unit of occupancy space located within the same building or buildings.
"Cooperative" is an individual dwelling unit within a cooperative building.
"Governing association" means the board of managers of a condominium homeowners' association or the board of directors of a cooperative building.
(e) The commissioner shall prepare and post on the health department's publicly accessible website a sample plan for the detection, inspection and treatment of bed bugs for the governing association of condominium or cooperative building. The sample plan shall set forth the best practices for the detection and treatment of bed bugs in such buildings.
(Added Coun. J. 6-5-13, p. 55787, § 5; Amend Coun. J. 7-30-14, p. 85543, § 1)
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