Cicero — Part II Ch. 46 Art. X Minimum Housing Code § 46-477
Responsibilities of owners and occupants
Operative Text
(a) Every owner of a dwelling containing two or more dwelling units shall be responsible for maintaining in a clean and sanitary condition the shared or public areas of the dwelling and premises thereof. (b) Every occupant of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall keep in a clean and sanitary condition that part of the dwelling, dwelling unit, and premises thereof that he occupies and controls. (c) Every occupant of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall dispose of all his rubbish in a clean and sanitary manner by placing it in the rubbish containers required by this Code. (d) Every occupant of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall dispose of all his garbage and any other organic waste, which might provide food for rodents, in a clean and sanitary manner, by placing it in the garbage disposal facilities or garbage storage containers required by this Code. It shall be the joint and several responsibility and duty of the owner, landlord, tenant, and occupant of every dwelling unit in any building containing more than one dwelling unit to supply the required garbage disposal facilities. In all other cases it shall be the responsibility of the occupant to furnish such facilities or containers. (e) Every occupant of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall be responsible for hanging all screens and double or storm doors and windows whenever the screens and doors are required under this article, except where the owner has agreed to supply such service. (f) Every occupant of a dwelling containing a single dwelling unit shall be responsible for the extermination of any insects, rodents, or other pests therein or on the premises, and every occupant of a dwelling unit in a dwelling containing more than one dwelling unit shall be responsible for such extermination whenever his dwelling unit is the only one infested. Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever infestation is caused by failure of the owner to maintain a dwelling in a ratproof or reasonable insectproof condition, extermination shall be the responsibility of the owner. Whenever infestation exists in two or more of the dwelling units in any dwelling or in the shared or public parts of any dwelling with two or more dwelling units, extermination thereof shall be the responsibility of the owner in compliance with article VIII of this chapter. (g) Every occupant of a dwelling unit shall keep all plumbing fixtures therein in a clean and sanitary condition and shall be responsible for the exercise of reasonable care in the proper use and operation thereof.
Cicero § 46-477 divides housing maintenance responsibilities between owners and occupants. Owners of multi-unit buildings must keep shared and public areas clean and sanitary, and bear responsibility for pest extermination when infestation spreads to common areas or multiple units, or when the building's condition caused the problem. Occupants are responsible for keeping their own spaces clean, disposing of rubbish and garbage properly, maintaining plumbing fixtures with reasonable care, and handling pest control within their individual unit when only their unit is affected.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 46-477, compliant operators of multi-unit dwellings generally maintain hallways, lobbies, and other shared spaces in clean and sanitary condition at all times. They also share joint responsibility with tenants for supplying required garbage disposal facilities in buildings with more than one unit. When pest infestation is linked to the building's structural condition or affects common areas or multiple units, the owner is responsible for extermination in accordance with the Code.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 46-477 requires occupants to keep their own unit and any areas they control clean, dispose of rubbish and garbage in designated containers, and maintain plumbing fixtures with reasonable care. In single-unit dwellings, or when only your unit is infested, pest control is generally the occupant's responsibility—unless the owner's failure to maintain the building caused the problem. Tenants who believe an owner is not meeting their obligations under this provision may contact Cicero's code enforcement office or consult a tenant-rights organization for guidance.
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 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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