Mayor Richard M. Daley introduced an amendment to the City Council this month that would prohibit a landlord from waiting until the first scheduled administrative hearing date before complying with any heat ordinance violation.
The amendment would require compliance of any violation of the heat requirement within seven days of service of the notice—or the landlord would face fines ranging from $200 to $500 per day.
“Landlords who violate the Chicago Heat Ordinance by failing to provide sufficient heat are taking advantage of the administrative hearing process,” said John Roberson, commissioner, Department on Buildings. “We have learned of too many instances where landlords have established a pattern of waiting to address the heat violation just days before the hearing, and then using the defense of compliance to avoid penalties. This delay forces building tenants to suffer without sufficient heat for days or weeks, which is simply unacceptable.”
This proposal recognizes that many building owners who are in violation of the City’s heating requirements may need adequate time to fix a broken boiler because repair service may be difficult to secure, especially during a cold snap. The amendment would give a property owner a maximum of seven days to remedy the violation, which should be adequate time even during extreme weather conditions.
Tenants who are not receiving sufficient heat can contact city authorities by calling 311. |
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