Forsyth — Title IX Ch. 97 Abandoned Residential Property and Property Maintenance § 97.1
Definition
Operative Text
Abandoned residential property means any type of permanent residential dwelling unit, including detached single-family structures, and townhouses, condominium units and multifamily rental apartments covering the entire property, and manufactured homes treated under Illinois law as real estate and not as personal property, that has been unoccupied by any lawful occupant or occupants for at least 90 days, and for which after such 90-day period, the village has made good faith efforts to contact the legal owner or owners of the property identified on the recorded mortgage, or, if known, any agent of the owner or owners, and no contact has been made. A property for which the municipality has been given notice of the order of confirmation of sale pursuant to Subsection (b-10) of Section 15-1508 of the Code of Civil Procedure shall not be deemed to be an abandoned residential property for the purposes of Subsection (d) of Section 11-20-7, Subsection (d) of Section 11-20-8, Subsection (d) of Section 11-20-12, Subsection (e) of Section 11-20-13, and Section 11-311.01 of the Municipal Code.
Section 97.1 of Forsyth's Title IX, Chapter 97 establishes what counts as an 'abandoned residential property' under the village's code. A dwelling — whether a single-family home, townhouse, condo, multifamily rental unit, or qualifying manufactured home — meets this definition when it has been vacant for at least 90 days and the village has made good-faith attempts to reach the recorded owner or their agent without success. Notably, a property is excluded from this definition once the municipality has received formal notice of a court-confirmed foreclosure sale under the relevant Illinois Civil Procedure provisions.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 97.1, property owners and managers should be aware that a residential unit left vacant for 90 or more days, combined with an inability to be reached by the village, can result in the property being classified as abandoned. Compliant operators generally maintain current contact information with the village and respond promptly to any outreach regarding vacant properties. Owners involved in foreclosure proceedings should also track whether the village has received notice of a confirmed sale order, as that notice affects whether the abandoned-property designation applies.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 97.1 is primarily a definitional provision that sets the threshold for when Forsyth can treat a residential property as abandoned, which can affect the rights and protections available to any lawful occupants. Tenants residing in a property that the village may consider abandoned — particularly those in multifamily rental units — may want to understand how this classification could interact with their tenancy. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Illinois municipal law can help explain what this designation may mean in practice and what general options exist for occupants of affected properties.
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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