Evanston, Ill., City Code § 5 § 5-4-2-3
FILING AND RECEIPT OF CONDOMINIUM INSTRUMENTS (Evanston Housing Regulations)
Operative Text
(A) Prior to recording a declaration with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds, the declarant must file with the City: 1. The condominium instruments, including the declaration, by-laws, plats and condominium disclosure statement. 2. A report prepared by an independent, licensed architect or engineer describing the items specified in Subsection 3-1(B)7 of this chapter. 3. A copy of the affidavit referred to in Subsection 2-1 of this chapter. (B) The City shall inform the declarant in writing as to whether all documents required for filing by this Chapter have been submitted, said information to be provided no later than twenty one (21) days after offering of said documents by the declarant. The filing date shall be that date, as stamped on the documents submitted, when all required documents are in the possession of the City. Documents required to be filed under this Section shall be filed with the City Manager or his/her designee. (C) Upon receipt of the documents specified in subsection (A) for filing, the City Manager, or his/her designee, shall add the following signed statement to the first page of the declaration: "The City of Evanston has received all the condominium instruments and other required documents for filing as of this date. Such receipt does not constitute approval by the City of the content, nor verification of the facts and statements contained therein." A condominium can be created in the City only if that statement with the required signature is on the declaration at the time that the declaration is recorded with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds. (D) Where a declarant has filed with the City a notice of intent or other condominium instrument for a building that the City has determined or subsequently determines in its Condominium Code Assessment Report not to be in compliance with all applicable building, zoning and housing codes, the declarant shall also file: 1. A verified statement showing the estimated cost and time of completion of the work necessary to correct each code violation on said report and source of said estimate. 2. Satisfactory evidence of sufficient funds to cover all of the costs in Subsection 2-3(D)1 above without the use of any purchasers' funds. (E) In addition to the requirements of this Section, the declarant must file with the City an exact copy of all condominium instruments recorded with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds within ten (10) days after recording.
Under Evanston, Ill., City Code § 5-4-2-3, anyone seeking to create a condominium in Evanston must submit a specific package of documents to the City before recording a declaration with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds. The City has 21 days to confirm in writing whether the submission is complete, and the filing date is set when all required documents are in the City's possession. A signed City receipt statement must appear on the declaration at the time of recording, and an exact copy of all recorded instruments must be returned to the City within 10 days of recording. If the building has known code violations, additional financial documentation is also required.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Declarants operating under Evanston, Ill., City Code § 5-4-2-3 generally assemble the full document package—condominium instruments, an independent architect or engineer's report, and the required affidavit—before approaching the Cook County Recorder of Deeds. Compliant operators track the City's 21-day written response window and confirm that the City Manager's signed receipt statement is affixed to the declaration prior to recording. Where a Condominium Code Assessment Report identifies code violations, operators also prepare a verified cost-and-completion statement and proof of sufficient funds that do not rely on purchaser money.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Evanston, Ill., City Code § 5-4-2-3 establishes procedural safeguards that apply before a condominium conversion is legally recorded, which can be relevant to prospective purchasers in a converted building. The City's signed receipt statement on the declaration confirms that required documents were filed, though it does not constitute City approval of the content. Individuals with concerns about whether a conversion followed these filing requirements may review public records at the City or Cook County Recorder of Deeds, or consult a tenant-rights organization familiar with Evanston condominium conversion rules.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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