Protecting Renters Ordinance (PRO)
On June 29, 2026, the Protecting Renters Ordinance (PRO) was introduced in city hall, a historic piece of legislation that would provide the biggest update to tenant rights in Chicago in 40 years.
On July 16th, the Corporate Caucus in City Council introduced their own version, called "FAIR" (Fair and Accountable Illinois Rental). Their proposal not only removes the most meaningful tenant protections from the Protecting Renters Ordinance, it goes further and rolls back tenant protections that have been in place in Chicago for decades. This is definitely an unFAIR proposal!
What is PRO?
If passed by the Chicago City Council, PRO would:
Ban Landlords from imposing junk fees on renters
Create a Chicago rental registry that will overhaul the way the City monitors and enforces health conditions for renters.
Establish a Bureau of Rental Housing Services to ensure tenants’ rights are enforced and educates and supports Chicago tenants.
Establish a tenants’ Bill of Rights and enact important reforms regulating deposits and fees and a ban on junk fees
Create an Eviction Counsel Program providing legal representation for eligible tenants with an eviction defense and legal consultations for all eligible tenants facing eviction.
Was stricken to appease the “other side”:
Establishing a “Just Cause” requirement for eviction, requiring Landlords provide a valid reason to evict or not renew a lease and other new protections to reduce displacement.
What is (un)FAIR?
Learn more here: unfairordinance.org
The proposed FAIR ordinance is unFAIR: the ordinance not only removes the most meaningful protections in PRO, but goes further to roll back tenant protections that have been in place for decades. Compared to PRO, which was informed by years of conversations with landlords, tenant advocates, and other stakeholder groups, the unFAIR ordinance represents the worst of politics, with no input from the communities most impacted by the housing crisis or the departments that will actually have to implement these policies.
unFAIR removes key affordability requirements by not banning junk fees or move-in fees. Without these protections, tenants will continue paying absurd amounts of fees on top of their rent every single month.
unFAIR gets rid of the Tenant Bill of Rights, including no standalone gender-based-violence protections. unFAIR guts Fair Notice requirements already in city code. unFAIR dramatically reduces the number of units the current RLTO protections apply to, leaving thousands more tenants without protections.
unFAIR does not provide any protections to renters facing evictions or displacement due to no fault of their own, leading to increased homelessness.
unFAIR creates new enforcement obligations but provides no funding to support them. Without the dedicated funding in PRO, the already understaffed DOB would be expected to enforce these requirements without hiring additional inspectors.
unFAIR removes the Bureau of Rental Housing Services, stripping landlords of compliance and educational support, and stripping tenants of services and resources
call our Alderman
As you may have heard, our 44th ward alderman Lawson is on the wrong side of the tenant’s rights, backing unFAIR counter proposal. Just as he did with the last year’s budget, he is joining corporate caucus to shield corporations from accountability, leaving people of Chicago vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
We are joining our fellow organizers with One Northside and MTA, and taking action to demand that Ward 44 Alderman Bennett Lawson steps back from his unFAIR proposal and supports PRO instead!
Call our Alderman’s office (773) 525-6034
You can use this script:
Hello, my name is ____, and I live in the ward at [address/intersection.]
I’m calling as a constituent to urge you to support the Protecting Renters Ordinance and reject the so-called FAIR ordinance. The PRO would transform our rental laws for the better. The FAIR would roll back key tenant protections and provide landlords with more tools to avoid accountability. That is unacceptable.
As more and more of our neighbors are forced out of our ward and our city by a system rigged against renters, it’s long past time that we take action to protect tenants from the worst abuses of that system. It’s time that we level the playing field between tenants and landlords. The PRO ordinance, which was drafted by tenant advocacy organizations and draws on decades of organizing on behalf of renters, will do just that. The FAIR would move us backwards.
[add some of your own experiences as a renter here]
Join One Northside Petition & activations:
Fill out the petition, which our friends at One Northside will share with alders to show support across all our North Side wards for this ordinance. win.newmode.net/onspasspronow
One Northside is hosting a number of teach-ins and activations, here is the link to sign up:
Images from Instagram carousel by BSTA.