Oak Park, IL Building Safety: Elevator Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing article
- Ch 12, Art 6, Residential Tenant and Landlord Ordinance
- Standard
- Elevators sound, good condition, good repair
- Reference code
- 2009 International Property Maintenance Code
- Tenant remedy
- Damages and injunctive relief, Sec 12-6-6(C)
- Penalty
- $20-$750 per offense, per day
Summary
Oak Park's Residential Tenant and Landlord Ordinance gives every tenant the right to a dwelling that materially complies with habitability standards, which specifically require elevators to be kept structurally sound, in good condition, and maintained in good repair.
C. Tenant Right to Dwelling that Materially Complies with Habitability: ... ... 3. Habitability standards shall include, but are not limited to, any of the following circumstances: ... e. ... Elevators with structural integrity, in sound condition, and maintained in good repair;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-9: Code current through: Ord. 26-159, passed - -2026).
Full Breakdown
Village Code Chapter 12, Article 6, the Residential Tenant and Landlord Ordinance adopted by Ordinance 21-60 on July 19, 2021, sets habitability standards a landlord must maintain in every dwelling unit in the Village. ' The ordinance directs landlords and tenants to the 2009 International Property Maintenance Code, as adopted by the Village under Section 7-13-1 and amended under Section 7-13-2, as a reference point for what counts as compliant habitability. Landlord Obligations under Section 12-6-10(A) require the landlord to maintain the premises in compliance with all applicable Village codes, including the building codes and Section 12-6-5(C), and to promptly make repairs to satisfy that duty.
If a landlord fails to keep an elevator or any other habitability item in material compliance, Section 12-6-6(C) lets the tenant recover damages and obtain injunctive relief, subject to an affirmative defense if the tenant or the tenant's household caused the condition. 00), with each day of continued violation a distinct offense.
Violations & Fines
A landlord who lets a required elevator fall out of sound condition or good repair faces tenant civil remedies under Section 12-6-6(C), damages and injunctive relief, plus a Village fine of $20.00 to $750.00 per Section 1-1-5, applied through Section 12-6-16, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Must Oak Park landlords keep rental building elevators working?
What can a tenant do if an elevator is broken for a long time?
What is the fine for violating the habitability standard?
Sources & Official References
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