Chicago Heights — Ch. 22 Housing, Dangerous Buildings and Structures § 22-22.1
Occupancy certificates—Rental property
Operative Text
All provisions, regulations and processes contained in section 22-22 above, shall also apply to rental property within the city. However, rental properties must be fully compliant with all City Codes before a "certificate of occupancy" is issued anticipating a change in tenants. "Temporary occupancy certificates" are not available for rental properties, except, that a "temporary occupancy certificate" may be issued for a rental property, when the required repairs are "non-life safety" in nature; only affect the exterior of the building or property; and, a period of inclement weather would prevent the repairs from being made promptly. In such case the inspection and escrow provisions provided for "temporary occupancy certificates" in section 22-22 above shall apply relative to such exterior repairs.
Under Chicago Heights Ch. 22 § 22-22.1, rental properties are subject to the same occupancy certificate rules that govern other properties under § 22-22, with one important addition: a rental unit must meet full City Code compliance before a certificate of occupancy is issued whenever a tenant change is anticipated. Temporary occupancy certificates are generally unavailable for rental properties, though a narrow exception exists when outstanding repairs are non-life-safety in nature, affect only the building's exterior, and inclement weather prevents timely completion. When that exception applies, the inspection and escrow requirements from § 22-22 govern how those exterior repairs are handled.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of rental property in Chicago Heights should understand that § 22-22.1 requires full City Code compliance before a certificate of occupancy can be issued ahead of a new tenancy — there is no general temporary certificate option as a workaround. The limited temporary certificate exception under § 22-22.1 is available only when deficiencies are non-life-safety, exterior-only, and weather-delayed, and even then the inspection and escrow procedures from § 22-22 must be followed. Compliant operators typically complete all required repairs and schedule inspections well before a tenant transition to avoid delays in obtaining the necessary certificate.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 22-22.1, prospective tenants of rental property in Chicago Heights have an interest in knowing that a valid certificate of occupancy — reflecting full City Code compliance — is generally required before a landlord can lawfully place a new tenant in a unit. If a rental unit lacks the required certificate or was occupied under an improperly issued one, that fact may be relevant to a tenant's rights and could be raised with local housing authorities or a tenant-rights organization. Tenants who have questions about whether their unit was properly certified before occupancy may wish to review the city's records or consult a tenant-rights resource familiar with Ch. 22 § 22-22.1.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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