Creve Coeur CHAPTER 21 RESIDENTIAL RENTAL REGISTRATION § 3-21-2
DEFINITIONS
Operative Text
OWNER: Except for mobile homes, any person, company, corporation, unit of government, trust, or entity that holds title to real property upon which a Rental Residential Dwelling Building is located shall be deemed an owner of the Rental Residential Dwelling Building. A person, company, corporation, unit of government, trust, or entity shall be deemed to be an owner of a Rental Residential Dwelling Building if record title to real property subject to this Ordinance, as reflected in the records maintained by the Tazewell County Clerk & Recorder, is shown to have vested in such person, company, corporation, unit of government, trust, or entity. In cases in which property governed by this ordinance is subject to a Contract-for-Deed or similar instrument, the grantor and grantee shall both be deemed owners until title has fully vested in the grantee under said instrument. The Owner of a mobile home shall be deemed to be that person, company, corporation, unit of government, trust, or entity in whose name the mobile home is registered with the Illinois Secretary of State. Illustrative Example A: Jim Jones is the grantee on the most recently recorded deed to 123 Main St., upon which is located a four-unit apartment building. The apartment building is a Rental Residential Dwelling Building, and Jim Jones is the owner. Illustrative Example B: Jim Jones owns a single-family residence. Jim enters into a contract-for-deed with Jane Doe. Jane doe then markets the residence for rent. The residence is a Rental Residential Dwelling Building (and, for purposes of this ordinance, such single-family residence is also a Rental Residential Dwelling Unit). Until such time as title vests solely in Jane, Jim and Jane are both owners of the Rental Residential Dwelling Building. Illustrative Example C: ABC, Inc., owns land upon which a mobile-home park with 10 units, numbered 1 through 10, are sited. Title to the mobile homes comprising Units 1 through 7 is registered with the Illinois Secretary of State in the name of ABC, Inc. Title to Units 8 through 10 are registered in the names of individual owners. ABC, Inc., is the Owner of Units 1 through 7. The owners of Units 8 through 10 are the individuals in whose names the mobile homes comprising Units 8 through 10 are registered with the Illinois Secretary of State. ABC, Inc., is not also an owner of Units 8 through 10, even though these three units are located on real property that is owned by ABC, Inc., because the particular Rental Residential Dwelling Buildings comprising Units 7 through 10 are mobile homes with titles registered in the individual owners' names. RENTAL RESIDENTIAL DWELLING BUILDING: A building, house, mobile home, or any other structure that is used for residential purposes and made available for rent by occupants other than the Owner. RENTAL RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT: A discrete segment of a Rental Residential Dwelling Building suitable for human habitation and made available for rent. Illustrative Example: An Apartment Building contains four separate apartments each with their own living quarters, kitchen, and bathroom. The apartment building is a Rental Residential Dwelling Building. The individual apartments are Rental Residential Dwelling Units. A structure with a single rental unit is considered both a Rental Residential Dwelling Building and a Rental Residential Dwelling Unit. (Ord. 634B, 7-9-2025)
Section 3-21-2 of Creve Coeur's Chapter 21 establishes the foundational definitions used throughout the Residential Rental Registration ordinance. 'Owner' is broadly defined to include any individual, company, corporation, governmental unit, trust, or other entity holding title to property where a rental residential building is located — and in contract-for-deed situations, both the grantor and grantee are treated as owners until title fully transfers. A 'Rental Residential Dwelling Building' covers any structure used for residential purposes and rented to someone other than the owner, while a 'Rental Residential Dwelling Unit' refers to a self-contained, habitable portion of such a building available for rent. Mobile homes follow a distinct rule: ownership is determined by registration with the Illinois Secretary of State rather than by land title.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 3-21-2, any entity or individual whose name appears on the recorded deed in Tazewell County Clerk & Recorder records for a property containing rental housing is considered an owner subject to this ordinance. Operators who have entered into a contract-for-deed arrangement should be aware that both parties to that instrument are treated as owners for registration and compliance purposes until title fully vests. Compliant property managers and owners generally ensure that their registration filings reflect all parties who qualify as owners under this definition, including co-owners in contract-for-deed situations and, for mobile homes, the party named in the Illinois Secretary of State's registration records.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 3-21-2 defines who qualifies as an 'owner' under Creve Coeur's rental registration framework, which matters to tenants because it determines who bears responsibility for compliance with the ordinance. In contract-for-deed situations, tenants may have more than one party legally recognized as an owner, potentially broadening who can be held accountable under the ordinance. Tenants who have questions about whether their building or unit qualifies as a Rental Residential Dwelling Building or Rental Residential Dwelling Unit under § 3-21-2, or who want to understand their rights under the broader ordinance, may find it helpful to consult a local tenant-rights organization or review the ordinance directly.
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 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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