(A) It is unlawful for any person, firm, partnership, corporation or other legal entity to operate, maintain or offer to rent within the city a rental residential property whether vacant or not without first obtaining a license as provided in this chapter.
(B) It is unlawful for a person to occupy a rental residential property, or for any owner or property agent to allow anyone to occupy a rental residential property which is not licensed as provided in this chapter.
(C) It is unlawful for any person, firm, partnership, corporation or other legal entity to offer for rent or to occupy any vacant dwelling unit or rooming unit or any dwelling unit or rooming unit that becomes vacant in a rental residential property for which a license is under suspension.
(D) This chapter shall not apply to the following structures:
(1) Single-family owner-occupied dwellings;
(2) Single-family dwellings occupied by a member of the owner’s family. Said family is limited to the following relatives of the owner: parents, children, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brothers, sisters, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, wife, and/or husband;
(3) Single-family dwellings which are vacant but which are not intended to be let for rent;
(4) Townhouse and condominium owner-occupied dwellings;
(5) Hotels, including, but not being limited to, all transient occupancy rental units as defined in § 152.01;
(6) Nursing homes, retirement centers and rest homes, provided that such structures used as nursing homes, retirement centers and/or rest homes are specifically licensed as nursing homes, retirement centers and/or rest homes, and also inspected by the State of Illinois as a nursing home, retirement center and/or rest home;
(7) Dwellings, buildings, structures and uses owned by other governmental agencies and public housing authorities; and
(8) Multiple-family rental residential property in which each dwelling unit is occupied by a record owner of the property.
(E) A license for a rental residential property cannot be transferred to another rental residential property nor a succeeding owner.
(Ord. 2206, passed 1-11-2010; Am. Ord. 2332, passed 3-13-2012; Am. Ord. 2801, passed 2-4-2019)