FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 17, 2020
Autonomous Tenants Union Backs Introduction of “Just Cause” Eviction Ordinance Mayor Lightfoot attempts to undercut Ald. Taliaferro’s bill with an ersatz imposter ALBANY PARK, CHICAGO -- Autonomous Tenants Union is proud to stand with fellow members of the Chicago Housing Justice League in supporting 29th Ward Alderman Chris Taliaferro’s introduction of legislation at Wednesday’s City Council meeting that would significantly curtail city landlords from being able to evict tenants who have regularly paid their rent on time and have otherwise followed the terms if their leases. Just Cause for Eviction would ensure that tenants have the option to renew expiring leases, and would prevent landlords from terminating the residency of month-to-month tenants, unless the landlord can prove lease violations or another reasonable cause. These would include: converting a building to other uses (such as condominium conversion), demolition or significant rehabilitation of a property that requires a renter to leave, or moving themselves or a qualified family member into the unit. Under these circumstances, the law would require landlords to provide at least 90 days’ notice and financial assistance to renters forced to move if they choose not to renew or extend a lease for reasons that are not the fault of the tenant. Current city law allows landlords to evict a tenant on an expiring lease or month-to-month agreement at any time – for any reason – with just 30 days’ notice. These lax eviction standards have been a primary tool in the arsenal of predatory developers who have accelerated gentrification and the displacement of Black and Brown families in Chicago’s neighborhoods. Much of ATU’s organizing in Albany Park is done with tenants on month-to-month agreements in buildings which have been purchased by a developer who mass-evicts every resident in order to renovate and increase rents. No-fault evictions are also often used by slumlords as retaliation against tenants who organize and speak up against mistreatment and bad building conditions. Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration worked directly with the Housing Justice League for close to eight months on the Just Cause bill, and the mayor herself publicly announced her support on at least two separate occasions, then abruptly changed course last month and introduced her own bill that would merely extend notification periods from 30 to 90 days, without preventing “no fault” evictions. Mayor Lightfoot’s proposal would change the amount of time you have to find a new home after your landlord decides to kick you out for no reason, but it won’t stop it from happening. The Mayor’s “Fair Notice” bill was recently revived from City Council’s Rules Committee with the backing of Lightfoot ally and committee chair Ald. Michelle Harris, who has taken thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from real estate and development interests like the Chicagoland Apartment Association.
Autonomous Tenants Union (ATU) is committed to organizing for housing justice from below and to the left. As an independent collective based in Chicago, we strategize together to defend and enforce our right to dignified housing. We believe that housing is a human right, not a commodity! We fight for an end to all evictions, and for community control of housing through the building of popular power. housing.atu@gmail.com | facebook.com/AutonomousTenantsUnion | autonomoustenantsunion.org
###