Evanston, Ill., City Code tit. 5 (2026) § 5-7-4
REQUIREMENTS—GENERAL (Evanston Housing Regulations)
Operative Text
(A) General Requirement. A covered development, containing a minimum of seven (7) covered units is required to meet its inclusionary housing requirement. (B) 7--14 Covered Units. The following are the inclusionary housing requirements for covered developments with less than fifteen (15) covered units, with a weighted average of maximum gross rents at or below sixty (60) percent AMI: 1. 7--9 covered units: One (1.0) inclusionary housing requirement. 2. 10--13 covered units: One point five (1.5) inclusionary housing requirement. 3. 14 covered units: Two (2.0) inclusionary housing requirement. (C) 15+ Covered Units. Fifteen (15) percent of covered units in a covered development of fifteen (15) or more covered units are required to be inclusionary housing units with a weighted average of maximum gross rents at or below sixty (60) percent AMI. The resulting number of units, without rounding, will be the covered development's inclusionary housing requirement. (D) Publicly-Funded Developments. The inclusionary housing requirement for a publicly-funded development is twice (two (2) times) the requirement in Subsection 5-7-4 (B) or (C). (E) Meeting The Inclusionary Housing Requirement. One hundred (100) percent of the inclusionary housing requirement must be provided by the applicant. There are three (3) ways to do so: 1. Option A: Provide the inclusionary housing requirement on-site, rounded up to the nearest whole number. 2. Option B: Provide a portion of the inclusionary housing requirement on-site and pay the remaining portion of the requirement as an in-lieu fee to the affordable housing fund. 3. Option C: Pay one hundred (100) percent of the inclusionary housing requirement as an in-lieu fee to the affordable housing fund.
Evanston City Code § 5-7-4 establishes inclusionary housing requirements for residential developments of seven or more covered units. Smaller developments (7–14 units) must meet scaled requirements ranging from one to two inclusionary units, with rents weighted at or below 60% of Area Median Income (AMI), while larger developments (15+ units) must designate 15% of covered units as inclusionary. Publicly funded developments face double the standard requirement, and developers may satisfy their obligation by providing units on-site, paying an in-lieu fee into the affordable housing fund, or using a combination of both approaches.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 5-7-4, property owners and developers of covered developments with seven or more units are expected to calculate their inclusionary housing obligation based on the total number of covered units and whether the project receives public funding. Compliant operators typically determine early in the planning process whether they will fulfill the requirement through on-site units, an in-lieu fee payment to the affordable housing fund, or a hybrid of the two options. Keeping accurate records of unit counts, AMI rent calculations, and any fee payments helps demonstrate compliance with the tiered structure set out in § 5-7-4(B) through (E).
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Evanston City Code § 5-7-4 is designed to ensure that qualifying residential developments include a share of units affordable to households at or below 60% AMI, which can expand access to housing in covered buildings. Tenants in or seeking housing in covered developments may have rights related to the availability and pricing of inclusionary units created under this provision. Those who believe a covered development is not meeting its obligations under § 5-7-4 may consider contacting the City of Evanston's housing office or a local tenant-rights organization to understand available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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