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Rep. DeLuca Continues Push for Crime-Free Rental Housing Legislation


Springfield, IL–(ENEWSPF)–March 11, 2010.  State Representative Anthony DeLuca (D-Chicago Heights) this week passed legislation out of the House Cities and Village Committee aimed at reducing crime by requiring landlords to provide additional disclosure about criminal activity in their leases and allowing municipal attorneys to bring eviction actions on behalf of landlords.

“We must do everything in our power to protect our families by taking on crime in neighborhood rental properties,” DeLuca said.  “While I was mayor of Chicago Heights, I supported a policy to help reduce the crime rate by asking for more coordination between landlords and law enforcement.  This new crime-free rental housing legislation aims to curtail crime through this same successful partnership.”

Under current law, a landlord can void a lease and evict a tenant if the tenant commits a felony or a Class A misdemeanor on the leased premises.  With DeLuca’s House Bill 6257, written leases would be required to include language notifying tenants of this provision.  The proposal would also allow local municipal attorneys to bring an eviction action on behalf of a landlord, something that only State’s Attorney’s are currently permitted to do.

DeLuca’s bill is a modification of crime-free-rental housing ordinances found in many communities throughout Illinois.

“This legislation takes a fresh approach to crime-free housing policies by requiring more disclosure and transparency between landlords and tenants and by providing a new way to go after criminal activity in our neighborhoods,” DeLuca added.  “This approach does not overburden landlords with new regulations, instead, it provides a new avenue that provides renters with frank information about the consequences of questionable behavior, and allows municipalities to more effectively go after problem tenants.”

House Bill 6257 passed out of the Cities and Village Committee by a unanimous vote of 10 – 0 and now moves to the full House for further consideration.

 

Source: State Representative DeLuca


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