Sterling — Ch. 18 Art. XI Residential Rental Property § 18-303

No person shall allow to be occupied, rent or lease to another person any residential rental unit within the city without registering such unit as provided in this section. Registration statements shall be filed with the city's building and zoning department and shall be on forms furnished for that purpose. (1)
Information required. Registration statements shall specifically require the minimum following information:
a. The name, address, phone number, and e-mail address of the property owner;
b. The name, address, phone number, and e-mail address of the designated local agent if the property owner lives more than 50 miles from the city, or does not maintain an office within 50 miles of the city;
c. The street address of the property;
d. The number and types of units located on the property;
e. The maximum number of occupants permitted in each residential rental unit;
f. The name, address, phone number, and e-mail address of the person authorized to make or order repairs or services for the property if such person is not the owner or local agent;
g. Registrants shall update the information supplied to the city within 30 days of any change in such information required under this section.
(2) Local agent. Every owner of a residential rental dwelling unit who rents such unit or part thereof, to other persons and who does not live within 50 miles of the city or maintain an office within 50 miles of the city shall designate a local agent when registering such unit under this section.
(3) Time of registering. Every owner of a residential rental unit or units shall register each unit within the city on or before the date of first lease for rental is secured. For units occupied at the time of adoption of this article, registration shall occur within 180 days thereafter.
(4) Property transfers-registration. For any property subject to this section, after any transfer of ownership or the execution of any installment contract of purchase which requires the purchaser to assume the obligations of the property owner, the new owner or contract purchaser shall file an amended registration statement with the city's building and zoning department within 30 days of such transfer. The timely filing of such amended registration statement shall permit the new owner to be assigned any such current registration fee or inspection classification. Failure to timely file such amended registration shall result in the new owner, or obligor under an installment contract, to file a new registration statement and be subject to inspection as provided in this Code.
(5) Registration fee. Every owner shall pay an annual, good for the period of time from May 1st to the following April 30th, registration fee for every property (e.g., PIN or identified under a single parcel identification number) required to be registered under this section in accordance with the following schedule:
Residential rental units 1--4 | $50.00
Residential rental units 5--10 | $75.00
Residential rental units 11--15 | $100.00
Residential rental units 16--40 | $150.00
Residential rental units 41 and above | $200.00 plus $5.00 each additional unit.
(6) Failure to register. Every owner who fails to timely register any property required to be registered pursuant to this section within the time periods set forth under above section (3), shall pay one and one-half times the registration fee provided above, if such property is registered within 30 days after a first lessee is executed, and two times such fee if the property is registered after 60 days.
(7) Exempted properties. The following are exempted from the registration requirements, payment of fees, and the inspection requirements of this article:
a. Owner-occupied single-family dwellings and any portion of a multi-family structure which is owner-occupied;
b. Nursing home facilities licensed as such by the State of Illinois; hotels, motels, lodging units, guest suites, guest apartments, bed and breakfast establishments and other facilities that do not rent for periods of time in excess of 30 days or to permanent residents. This exemption is not intended to allow any property owner to engage in short-term rental periods to "renew" a rental in less than 30-day rental and claim exemption.
c. Dwellings, buildings and structures owned by other governmental agencies or public housing authorities subject to inspection by any other agency.
d. Single-family and two-unit rental residential properties, lawfully established as either a lawful conforming or lawful non-conforming use, in which each dwelling unit is occupied by the owner or a member of the owner's immediate family. The city may require additional evidence and/or documentation that demonstrates the applicability of any of the foregoing exceptions, including but not limited to, affidavits, birth certificates, state-issued identification, etc.