(A) Every owner or landlord of rental property shall, prior to permitting occupancy thereof by any person, register the property with the Code Enforcement Department, or its designee, on forms or other manner as directed. A separate registration is required for each rental property. Registration shall be required annually becoming due on the anniversary date of the initial obligation to register.
(B) Registration pursuant to this section shall contain the name(s), direct mailing address, a direct contact name, telephone number, and e-mail address for the owner and/or landlord, and, if the owner and/or landlord does not reside within twenty-five (25) miles of the rental property, the name and twenty-four (24) hour contact phone number for the property manager. The registration shall also identify the name(s), direct mailing address, a direct contact name, telephone number, and e-mail address for the all persons authorized by the owner and/or landlord to occupy the rental property.
(C) At the time of initial registration, each registrant shall pay a non-refundable annual registration fee as follows:
(1) Rental property contains one dwelling unit: $50 registration fee.
(2) For rental property with multi-residential dwelling units:
2 units: $90 registration fee.
3-5 units: $125
6-15 units: $150
16-25 units: $200
26+ units: $300
Subsequent non-refundable annual registrations as required by this subchapter are due within ten (10) days of the expiration of the previous registration.
(D) Any person or other legal entity that has registered a property under this section must report any change of information contained in the registration within ten (10) days of the change.
(E) If the rental property is sold, the new owner or landlord is subject to all the terms of this subchapter. If the new owner does not immediately occupy the property within 30 days from the date of possession, the new owner shall register the rental property or update the existing registration within ten (10) days of the sale. Any and all previous unpaid fees, fines, and penalties at the time initial registration and/or renewal registrations were required and are subject to enforcement per this subchapter. The previous owner or landlord will not be released from the responsibility of paying all previous unpaid fees, fines, and penalties accrued during that owner and/or landlord's involvement with the rental property. The provisions of this section are cumulative with and in addition to other available remedies. Moreover, the city is authorized and empowered to collect on the previous owner and/or landlord's non-payment of previous fees, fines, and penalties in any lawful manner.
(F) If the rental property is not registered, or either the registration fee or the renewal fee is not paid within thirty (30) days of when the registration or renewal is required pursuant to this section, a late fee equivalent to ten percent (10%) of the registration fee shall be charged for every thirty-day period (30), or portion thereof, the property is not registered and shall be due and payable with the registration. This section shall apply to the initial registration and registrations required by subsequent owners and/or landlords of rental property. Registrations delinquent greater than thirty (30) days are also subject to additional fines as described herein.
(G) Failure of the owner or landlord of record to properly register or to modify the registration to reflect a change of circumstances as required by this chapter is a violation of this subchapter and shall be subject to enforcement by any of the enforcement means available to the city.
(H) If any property is in violation of this subchapter the city may take the necessary action to ensure compliance with and place a lien on the property for the cost of the outstanding obligation and any additional cost incurred to the property into compliance.
(I) Registration of a rental property does not alleviate the owner and/or landlord from obtaining all required licenses, permits and inspections required by applicable City Code or Illinois Statutes.
(Ord. 20-010, passed 5-6-20)