Evanston, Ill., City Code § 5 § 5-7-5
SAME—APPROVED OPTIONS (Evanston Housing Regulations)
Operative Text
To increase flexibility for applicants and to incentivize providing units with more bedrooms and units affordable to lower-income households, the inclusionary housing requirement can be met using the following approved options. An applicant may both decrease the weighted average and increase the number of bedrooms to satisfy the inclusionary housing requirement. Any remaining portion of the inclusionary housing requirement must be paid at the full rate, as calculated in Subsection 5-7-4 (B), (C) or (D). A. Lower-Income Households. 1. Rental Units. Maximum gross rent tiers will not exceed eighty (80) percent AMI and must be a multiple of ten (10) percent AMI. Applicants must select from one of the following options: a. Sixty (60) percent AMI: Fifteen (15) percent of covered units at a weighted average rent at or below sixty (60) percent AMI. b. Fifty (50) percent AMI: Twelve (12) percent of covered units at a weighted average rent at or below fifty (50) percent AMI. c. Forty (40) percent AMI: Ten (10) percent of covered units at a weighted average rent at or below forty (40) percent AMI. 2. For-Sale Units. Sales price will not exceed the maximum price as stipulated by the Policies and Procedures. Applicants must select from one of the following options: a. One hundred (100) percent AMI: Fifteen (15) percent of covered units at a sales price affordable to households at or below one hundred (100) percent AMI. b. Eighty (80) percent AMI: Twelve (12) percent of covered units at a sales price affordable to households at or below eighty (80) percent AMI. (B) More Bedrooms. 1. One-Bedroom = One and one-quarter (1.25) studio. 2. Two-Bedroom = Two (2) studios or one and one-half (1.5) one-bedrooms. 3. Three-Bedroom = Two and three-quarters (2.75) studios, two and one-quarter (2.25) one-bedrooms, or one and three-quarters (1.75) two-bedrooms. 4. Four-Bedroom = Three and three-quarters (3.75) studios, three (3) one-bedrooms, two and one-quarter (2.25) two-bedrooms, or one and one-half (1.5) three-bedrooms.
Evanston, Ill., City Code § 5 § 5-7-5 establishes a menu of approved alternatives that developers can use to satisfy the city's inclusionary housing requirement. Instead of a single fixed standard, applicants may choose from tiered rent or sales-price options tied to different Area Median Income (AMI) levels, with deeper affordability levels requiring a smaller share of covered units. Developers may also combine AMI-level reductions with bedroom-size credits, and any portion of the requirement not covered by these options must be paid at the full rate set out in § 5-7-4.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Evanston, Ill., City Code § 5 § 5-7-5, compliant developers typically evaluate which AMI tier and bedroom-mix combination best fits their project's financial and design goals before submitting an application. Operators offering rental units generally ensure that gross rents stay within the selected AMI tier—ranging from 40% to 80% AMI—and that the percentage of covered units matches the corresponding threshold. For-sale projects follow the sales-price maximums set by the city's Policies and Procedures, and any gap left after applying approved options is settled at the full in-lieu rate calculated under § 5-7-4.
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 § 5-7-5 is the provision that governs how developers may structure the affordable units in covered residential projects, which directly affects the availability and pricing of income-restricted rentals and for-sale homes in the city. Prospective tenants or buyers seeking affordable units in a new development can ask the developer or the City of Evanston which AMI tier and bedroom options were selected under this section. Those who believe a project is not meeting its obligations under § 5-7-5 may contact the City of Evanston's housing office or a local tenant-rights organization to learn about available complaint or inquiry processes.
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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