SB3992 - Tenant Protection Act Summary

• Limits annual rent increases to the lower of the Consumer Price Index change or 3%, with a 90-day notice requirement, and prohibits increases if the landlord has not paid the rental registry fee within the past 12 months.

• Establishes a Residential Rental Registry requiring all landlords to register dwelling units annually with the Illinois Housing Development Authority by January 15th, with fees of $100 per unit ($30 for owner-occupied buildings of 4-6 units, exempt for 1-3 units).

• Creates a Right to Counsel Program providing free legal representation to tenants in eviction and housing subsidy termination proceedings, effective one year after enactment.

• Establishes a Tenant Bill of Rights including landlord maintenance obligations, tenant remedies for habitability violations, security deposit protections with interest requirements, and prohibitions on retaliatory conduct by landlords.

• Creates a Small Rental Property Owner Repairs and Improvement Fund providing grants and loans to owners of no more than 12 dwelling units for capital improvements and repairs, and provides tax credits for rental property owners meeting specified criteria.