Chicago City Council Committee Advances Mayor Johnson's Renters' Ordinance
The Chicago City Council Housing Committee narrowly approved and advanced Mayor Brandon Johnson's Protecting Renters Ordinance on Wednesday, after a key relocation assistance provision was dropped. A competing FAIR ordinance pushed by a coalition of aldermen is scheduled for a Zoning Committee hearing Thursday.
CHICAGO, IL (Sep. 17, 2026) -- Members of the Chicago City Council voted Wednesday to advance an ordinance proposed by Mayor Brandon Johnson to strengthen protections for renters in the city.
The Housing Committee approved the Protecting Renters Ordinance, or PRO, by a narrow margin after one provision was dropped from the original proposal. The measure is now moving forward for a vote by the full City Council, though it still has hurdles to clear.
The ordinance, introduced earlier this summer, would establish a "just cause" requirement before landlords can evict tenants. A key provision in the original draft also required landlords to provide relocation assistance to tenants depending on the reason they were being asked to move. The initial relocation assistance amount of up to $10,000 may have been adjusted in order to get the provision through committee.
Supporters of the measure said it cracks down on predatory practices by landlords and vows to continue the fight for a full Council vote. Opponents argue the plan would force tenants to pay more in rent and place an undue burden on small landlords.
Mayor Johnson, in a statement Wednesday evening, said the update to the renters' ordinance is long overdue.
"Today marks a momentous step forward in the decades-long struggle to make safe, stable, and affordable housing a right for every Chicagoan," Johnson said. "Over the past few years, we have worked hand-in-hand with renters, housing justice advocates, tenant organizers, and community leaders to advance a responsible, forward-looking ordinance that strengthens Chicago's renter protections while addressing emerging challenges in the modern housing market. Today's victory belongs to them. Our fight is not over. Renters in our city have been waiting for relief for 40 years; we cannot wait any longer. The time to pass PRO is now."
A coalition of aldermen is pushing a competing ordinance called FAIR. The FAIR plan would redefine small landlords, double the number of units they can own from six to twelve, and eliminate the requirement that small landlords live in the building they are renting out.
The PRO ordinance came before the Housing Committee Wednesday, while the competing FAIR ordinance is scheduled to be heard Thursday in the Zoning Committee. Both measures need to advance out of their respective committees before being voted on by the full City Council.