Cicero, IL Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)

Section 46-472 bars anyone from occupying or letting a dwelling unit that lacks a kitchen sink in good working condition connected to town water and sewer, a private room with a flush toilet and lavatory basin, and a private bathtub or shower, all with properly connected hot and cold water lines reaching at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit at the tap. Every unit also needs adequate garbage and rubbish storage and two safe, unobstructed exits at least 32 inches wide and six feet eight inches tall.

Section 46-475 layers on maintenance duties: every foundation, floor, wall, ceiling and roof must stay weathertight, watertight and rodent-proof; every plumbing fixture must stay in good sanitary working condition free of leaks; and no owner may shut off a required utility except for actual repairs or an approved emergency. Section 46-479 lets the health inspector, fire inspector or building commissioner condemn and placard as "unfit for human habitation" any dwelling so damaged, decayed, unsanitary or unsafe that it threatens occupants, or one lacking adequate illumination, ventilation or sanitation.

A condemned unit must be vacated within at least ten days, and reoccupancy needs written health department approval. Owners can appeal a condemnation to the town president or a designee within ten days, with a hearing held within 45 days, and the hearing officer can order both repairs and reimbursement of any tenant relocation costs, secured by a lien on the property.