Oak Park Title 12 Residential Rental Licensing (Arts. 2, 4, 6) § 12-2-0
DEFINITIONS
Operative Text
For the purpose of this chapter, the following shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning. AGENT: Any person, operator, firm, partnership, joint venture, corporation or any other legal entity authorized to act on behalf of another person when dealing with third parties. CODE OFFICIAL: The Director of Neighborhood Services Department or designee. DWELLING: A building, or a portion thereof, used exclusively for human habitation. DWELLING UNIT: One or more rooms containing individualized cooking, sleeping, and sanitary facilities which is designed, occupied or intended for use by one household. MULTIPLE-FAMILY RENTAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY: A rental residential property with four (4) or more dwelling units. PROPERTY MANAGER: An individual or other entity that is hired by a property owner for the purposes of overseeing and managing daily operations of the property or properties. The property manager acts on behalf of the property owner to preserve the value of the property while generating income. PROPERTY OWNER: Any person, firm, partnership, corporation or other legal entity owning, operating, maintaining, or offering to rent within the Village of Oak Park a rental residential property whether vacant or occupied. RENTAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY: Dwellings, dwelling units, rooming houses and rooming units let or intended to be let for rent or lease. SINGLE-FAMILY RENTAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY: Rental residential property with one to three dwelling units. TENANT: Shall mean any adult lessee and/or adult occupant who is a resident of rental residential property other than a lessee who occupies the rental resident property pursuant to the lease of the lessee with the property owner. (Ord. 25-154, 11-11-2025)
Section 12-2-0 of Oak Park Title 12 establishes the foundational vocabulary used throughout the Residential Rental Licensing chapter. Key terms such as 'Dwelling Unit,' 'Property Owner,' 'Tenant,' and 'Rental Residential Property' are given specific meanings that govern how the rest of the chapter's rules are interpreted and applied. The distinction between 'Single-Family Rental Residential Property' (one to three units) and 'Multiple-Family Rental Residential Property' (four or more units) is particularly significant, as different obligations may attach to each category. These definitions set the interpretive framework for all licensing, compliance, and enforcement provisions that follow.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 12-2-0, property owners and property managers operating in Oak Park should be aware that the chapter applies specific definitions to terms that may differ from everyday usage. For example, a 'Property Owner' includes any legal entity—not just individuals—that owns, operates, maintains, or offers to rent a residential property in the Village, and a 'Property Manager' is recognized as a distinct role acting on the owner's behalf. Operators should confirm which property classification applies to their holdings—single-family (one to three units) or multiple-family (four or more units)—since that classification can determine which licensing and operational requirements apply under the broader chapter.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 12-2-0 defines 'Tenant' specifically as an adult lessee or adult occupant who resides in a rental residential property, with a notable carve-out for certain sub-lessees. Understanding whether you fall within this definition matters because the protections and obligations established throughout Oak Park Title 12 apply to individuals who meet it. Tenants who have questions about whether they qualify under this definition, or how it affects their rights under the chapter, may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or review the full Oak Park Residential Rental Licensing chapter for context.
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 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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