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Before and after the Cook County eviction moratorium lifted - what changed for tenants and landlords?
I live in a building on the north side of Chicago and before the eviction moratorium ended back in 2021, my neighbor was three months behind on rent but couldn't be kicked out. After it lifted, she got a 5-day notice and was out in about 6 weeks. Some landlords say the moratorium just delayed the inevitable while tenants argue it saved families from homelessness during COVID. Which side do you think had it right for Chicago specifically?
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ivan_harris8d ago
daniel_cooper34 you're right, the water shutoff pause was real. But here's the thing - that moratorium just kicked the can down the road. Landlords still had to pay mortgages and property taxes the whole time. My old building had three units go dark because the owner couldn't cover costs anymore. Tenants got a break sure, but now we got empty buildings and less housing stock. That's worse for everyone in the long run.
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daniel_cooper348d ago
Didnt the city also pause water shutoffs during that time or am I misremembering?
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wendy_lee488d ago
Keep track of your own paperwork and any notices you get, even if you think you're fine. My neighbor didn't save her pay stubs from when she was working during the moratorium, and when the landlord took her to court she couldn't prove she'd been paying partial rent like they'd agreed. Cook County courts are still backed up, so if you're a tenant and you get a notice, go to every single court date no matter what. And landlords reading this, don't just assume the court will side with you because the moratorium is gone - judges here are still asking for proof you tried to work with tenants before filing. The whole system is a mess but the people who come prepared, with documents, usually do better than those who wing it.
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