Lawyers, Low-Income Housing & Other Resources

All 44 Comments

1. The hacc,section 8 is the worst housing south orient ever iam a mom with a type 1son working full time ,I get disability from my ex husband for dying for overdose and this Bastet are Constanly want me to send them prooof of my income I understand but they workers are sick vacation or never responding in till you trend them to speack to a supervisor why do they take so long to port from cook county to the city why?

   1. Have you put your requests to move in writing? Is the owner not fixing things. Once again start documenting the lack of repairs. The squeaking wheel get the grease.

2. Someone was coming in may apartment, they were tearing up, stole a ring, and moving things around, playing mind games. I told the Manager who is handling the property for CHA. I told her someone was coming into my apartment. I also told her that CHA was the only person with a key to my apartment. The manager said she was going to pull the cameras and she never did. I asked her to change the locks. She went a week without getting in touch with me, so I changed the locks myself. She said i had to give them a key to my apartment, because it was in my lease. Do I have to give them the key, undert these circumstances. Someone could have been in my apartmen when i came home to hurt me. When i emailed her a week latter to see when, to see when she was going to get the locks changed, she said she was sorry. But, i had already changed the locks myself. Someone had also, broke into my mailbox. I was open for about 4 days. I put my mail on hold and now I have a P O Box. The manager, turned every thing i said around. I told her that someone was coming in my apartment and it had to be someone from housing. She said i said that i was accusing her of letting someone come in my apartment without her knowing it. I never said that. I have the emails that I sent her. Do they have to have a copy of my key, under the circumstance. I paid for the lock. She did nothing to help me. The cameras on the property should have been pulled, for my saftey. She also told me in the email, that if i had any other issues not to contact her, but talk with her supervisor. I want to change my locks again. I don’t want them with a key, I had told them back in January or February that someone was coming on the porch carving the wood. The property manager said she could do nothing about it. What about my saftey?

   1. This is a difficult situation to work with. The owner is allowed to have a key to your unit. The law requires that you get permission from the landlord to change locks. Do you know if other people in the building are having a similar problem? Certainly that could be an indication of employee problem. Is it possible to ask others. If not, the best thing that you can do is to document the problem. If people are doing damage you will need to take photos. You can contact the supervisor about the problem and ask what can be done to ensure your safety. You should send the supervisor any photos or other documentation. Is someone still carving on the porch? What is their security camera situation? Do they have a camera on your floor.

3. they had terminated my section 8 voucher trying appeal

   1. You need to be in contact with an attorney. MTO has an eviction prevention project. Legal Aid Chicago has many good attorneys who focus on Section 8

4. I was evicted last year in June from CHA..!! I am trying to get my eviction seal please help me and my son obtain this closure.. So we can move on things happen but God has gave me a second chance we need your help

   1. You will probably need the help of an attorney to do this. I am not sure what happened but it may be difficult to get the record sealed. Will CHA agree to this? The best bet is to contact the Legal Assistance Foundation.

5. May 29, 2019 at 10:28 AM
   I applied for an apartment and paid the $25 application fee. Next, I was told that my application was denied because there was an eviction on my credit report. However, when I checked all three credit reports I discovered there is neither an eviction nor derogatory or negative information on my report. Several days later, I received hard copies of my credit report(s) and neither an eviction nor derogatory or negative information are on my report(s). I would like to know does this situation rise to the level of housing discrimination.

   1. Possibly. Why do you think the landlord denied your application. If you are going to allege discrimination is has to be based on a protected class such as race, gender, familial status etc. You might want to start with a letter requesting your $25 fee back.

6. Under HACC new payment standard adapted in 2017. I was left not being able to pa my landlord. My rent basically doubled. I asked my landlord to sign my Intent to move papers and he refused. He told he wasnt signing anything until he received his back rent. That was in April. In May I finally convinced him to sign. But he waited so long by the time he sign and we got the ball rolling it was time for my to have a annual report done. This can take up to 45 days. Now he has filed for eviction and I am facing losing my voucher, and I need a lawyer. I am in Country Club Hills

   1. I am afraid I do not have sufficient information to answer your question. We have a Cook County Specialist you can contact him at 773-292-4980 x 239.

7. I live on a tax credit property and also receive section 8 through CHA. My lease is up for tax credit on 12/31/18 and CHA is saying my lease with them is not over until January. I was anticipating to move me and my family before the weather gets bad. My landlord is working with me and wrote a letter stating that I can vacate by 12/31/18 however CHA will not issue me my paperwork and I’ve missed out of a good job due to this and at this point I don’t know what to do. I’ve spoken with a CHA supervisor and no help and there is a letter stating I can move. Every since CHA changed contractors these people are very rude and uneducated on the housing rules and procedures. Please help

   1. Unfortunately, because you have a voucher you have to have moving papers so that you can move to a new place and sign an agreement with a new landlord. You might try contacting your alderman, state or national representatives and see if they can help push CHA. My suggestion is also to ask for the CHA supervisor’s supervisor.

      Will the landlord let you continue to live there after the lease is up?

8. i need help. i moved into a house that has a lot of mold in the basement, but the basement was locked so section 8 was unable to inspect the basement. the realtor company that the house is through told us to cut the lock off and upon cutting the lock off we discovered the basement was being gutted out and there is a lot of mold. plus the duct work in the basement literally has dozens of holes in it.

   1. This is a tough question to answer. Is the basement a part of your lease agreement? Are there others living in the building that should have access and make this a common area? To further add complications, mold is not a code violation in Chicago. Leaks are a code violation. Is the mold making you ill?

      I am unsure as to what you want to do? I would at least start by sending the management company a letter stating that the basement is covered with mold and include photos of the mold and ask them what are they going to do about it.

      John

9. I need help with section 8 housing, they are making my daughter and I pay back for receiving social security benefits for her children . She did not know that she had to report their income, because they are children.

   1. What is your question? If you question is can CHA make you repay the money, the answer is yes. Are they trying to evict you and your daughter or are they requesting a repayment plan? If they are requesting a repayment plan then it is best to make one that you can fulfill. If they are trying to evict you, I would call MTO’s hotline and discuss the situation with the eviction specialist.

10. HACC has unfairly denied my reasonable accommodation for an extra bedroom, and my rent is extremely high because they cut the bedroom sizes in 2017. Right now I have to chose between food or rent. Is there an agency that can help me?

    1. Have you gone to Metropolitan Family Services? They might help with a case like this. Access Living might help with reasonable accommodation cases.

11. Re: ANNUAL INSPECTION FROM CHA. AS A TENANT DO I HAVE TO SIGN SOMETHING BY INSPECTOR & NOT SEE WHAT I’M SIGNING. ALSO, DO LANDLORDS HAVE TO GIVE TENANTS A COPY OF ANY PAPERS THAT THE LANDLORD REQUIRE TENANT TO SIGN.

    1. Before signing any document you should be able to read what you are signing. There are not specific rules that require a landlord to you a copy of everything that you sign. If you have a cell phone take a photo of the document. There are laws that require the landlord to provide tenants with a summary of the Chicago ordinance. This is often attached to the lease so a landlord would have difficulty documenting that provision without providing you with a copy of the lease.

12. How can we fight the HACC when they break the rule of HUD?

    I am having my student loans and tax returns count as income.

    Now my portion is 3 times what is was and no one will help me.

    Do you have any advice?

    According to HUD they should not count my loans or tax returns as income.

    I have not missed a month of rent but the HACC has put this change into effect going 5 months back. Now I owe 7k to my landlord and I can’t pay the rent because it’s 80% of the house hold income which consist of a paycheck and SSI check.

    Plus I get my pay put on to a prepaid card because it hits on Wednesday vs Friday and then I put it in the bank to pay my rent.

    Every time I put it in the bank to pay rent the HACC counts that as income.

    I have no where to turn and they are not listening.
    My landlord told me they told her to evict me.

    Any input would be helpful here.

    1. This is not a simple question. HACC should not be counting your tax returns as income. As for student laws, there are a lot of different rules about that and I cannot answer that question other than some student loans they can count as income.

       The first step is to request a hearing about the rent. You have 14 days to request a hearing.

13. I have a separate question regarding my last housing situation…Can you offer any direction on dealing with roommates who collect a sec dep and don’t return it? Wondering if I treat her as a landlord. This was in Evanston. No lease, just month-to-month agreement and I gave 30 days notice. Am planning to send a demand letter / file in small claims court if necessary and would prefer to sound like I know what I’m talking about.

    1. Did you have a signed agreement with anyone? The landlord would be whoever you had the agreement with. If there was a lease and the lease is not yet up then you may have to wait until the lease is up. If you moved in and were basically a sub-leasee then the individual who is collecting rent and the security deposit would be responsible. If it is a group of people and no one is charge then that will present further problems but you could name everyone in a suit. Yes the first place to start is with a demand letter. Here is link to the Evanston tenant laws https://www.scribd.com/doc/44787677/Evanston-Resident-Landlord-Tenant-Ordinance.

14. I live in an “affordable housing” building and am having no luck finding the rules that apply. Are they covered by the RLTO? I need to break my lease 2 months early and inquired about subletting. It’s allowed in my lease (also IL law?) but the manager told me they don’t allow it. I can leave early but they will keep my deposit. Do I have the right to get my deposit back if I tried to sublet and was denied the right to do so?

    Another option: I have been told a bedbug disclosure notice is required by law. I did receive the form, but it said there were no known issues in the building. I have since found out that is not true. (I also got bedbugs, which was a huge nightmare.) A bed bug registry website has reports for this building going back years. So I was provided false information. Would this be legal grounds for breaking the lease (and getting my deposit back)?

    1. All rental units in the City of Chicago are covered unless the owner lives on the premises and it is less than 7 units, hotels and motels may not be covered, dorms, hospitals etc. Subsidized housing is covered.

       As for subletting, the landlord can put the same restrictions on a sublettor that they placed on you when you moved in. If there is a waiting list and that is the way that units are rented then you may have some problems. The sublettor will be required to fit the income guidelines you had to meet. The landlord does have have to try and mitigate your damages so they need to move someone else in as quickly as possible. You are responsible for the time the unit remains vacant. If you deposit equals one month rent then it will depend on how quickly the unit is rented.

       As for bed bug question, I do not think breaking you lease is a remedy to the landlord failing to provide notice. You may have problems with that as you would have to prove that the bed bugs existed at the time you moved in and that the landlord knew about it.

       Did the landlord provide you a summary of the landlord and tenants ordinance? If not that is a reason, for which you can terminate the lease and move out.

15. I’m in a sticky situation with my building manager right now.

    First of all, he came into my apartment without warning (he claimed he tried to get in contact with us, but all he did was email my roommate asking her to call him- which she did and he never answered) and asked us to move out by the end of March (our lease ends August 31). He claimed the building is unsafe to live in and they’re going to do major construction to the building. He offered to pay for moving costs and move us to another two-bedroom 2.5 miles away and we’d pay same rent until the end of August.

    We eventually found out through email that he has no actual proof the building is unsafe to live in and he’s not “requiring” us to move out. He was just hoping to make an arrangement so we’d vacate the building so they can gut this place and make a lot more money off the apartments (it’s a great location). We told him we weren’t moving because it’s a great inconvenience and we were already planning on moving separately at the end of August.

    On top of all this mess, they’re doing MAJOR construction to the apartment above us from 8am-5pm. The noise is unbearable and I work at a late bar, so I haven’t been able to sleep much with this construction. Not sure what my rights are here.

    Now he’s offering to terminate our lease at the end of April and we wouldn’t have to pay April’s rent AND we’d each get $500 to help with moving costs. None of this is in writing yet, but he kept calling us until we answered and he gave us this offer. We are considering this deal, but are wondering if we are entitled to more money as this is rushing our finding new separate apartments. And his way of dealing with this situation has been very poor and sketchy. We deserve better. WHAT ARE OUR RIGHTS?!

    Thanks!

    1. The landlord cannot force you to move prior to the end of the lease. You can always make a counter offer and ask for more money. If you make an agreement get it in writing.

       Noise is s difficult situation to deal with in that there are no specific laws covering the situation. Certainly the landlord has to give you 2 days notice anytime the owner or their agent intends to enter your unit.

16. Need help quick! Im located in Melrose Park IL.. Since the beginning the Landlord had promised us that he will fix many many wrongs in this house which he never did, we have a lease for a year and we paid a deposit. We paid him cash for rent and the deposit, and he would not give us a receipt he always had the excuse that he was out of town or he was too busy he forgot, it just kept going like this for months. Than, the lease says one amount for rent and we are paying $1675 a month instead of $1550 which is what says in the lease. The reason why he is evicting us is because we decided to start paying in check instead of cash like we usually did, and he refused it, he said he only accepts cash or he would evict us. A week or two after he placed a 5 day notice in our back door (in which we noticed one day because we were stepping out of the house) we paid him the rent for October 2016, this was on the last days of the month we paid him the $1675 cash. Days later we received a second 5 day noticed from a women at the door, it said we owed $1795 for October including late fees, or late rent, which is not true. WE DO NOT OWE HIM ANY RENT FOR OCTOBER, and we never paid him late or partial, it was always on time and $1675 every month. I have a 2 yr old daughter, the conditions in this house are not fit for a child, or anyone. there are squirrels inside the walls all over the house, the basement has black mold and floods every couple times a month, theres those many-legged insects all on the walls in the basement, the ceiling is breaking in one of the rooms and walls on the upstairs stair hall is cracked. I need a low income/free attorney to help me and my family get our deposit back, help us stay there longer until we find an apartment, and remove charges/ seal record due many wrong doings of the landlord and because we owe him nothing.

    1. I do not now if Illinois has a law that requires landlords to accept forms other than cash. What does the lease state? If the lease makes no mention of the cash payment only then you should be able to pay in any of the usual modes of payment. It is probably best to begin documenting the situation in writing. You may want to send the landlord a letter stating that on such and such a day we sent you a check for $1675. No where in the lease does it say that we have to pay cash. The reason that we are paying by check is because despite our repeated requests you have never provided us with a receipt. the check will act as a receipt. We need to have documentation of our rent payments.

17. HELP! My landlord is crazy…I live in a 3 flat and my boiler and hotwater heater are in the basement of the building, the laundry hotwater heater is also down there. Back in July the basement flooded and the pilot lights went out on all three. I got my hotwater heater re-lit but couldn’t get the other two lit. I called my landlord on 7/9, 7/23 to notify her of the problem. She did nothing to fix either appliance. Jump ahead to 9/15…I called her again to notify her of the problem, she contacted a service co. which i had to take a day off of work to sit here and wait for on 9/23, they came out, said she needed ‘parts’ and no repairs were made. Then on the 28th i get a call from some other service co. telling me they’re calling to schedule an appointment for service. I couldn’t take more time off of work, so i directed them back to the landlord to schedule an appt. The landlord aclls me later that day all frantic and aggitated telling me i need to be there and why am I being uncooperative…etc. So I explain to her for the millionth time that i work during the week and can’t sit around her building waiting on service men for her, i suggest she fin a service co with weekend hours so i can accmmodate and she refuses. Bottom line is i havent had heat 9/15 – 9/30 which is a clear violaton of the city ordinance, so i sent her a letter telling her that i’m withholding rent for the day i’ve been without heat. So what does she do??? She has her friend John call me and threaten me…now i don’t know what to do…is 3 phone notifications from me along wit hmultiple notifications from one of the other tenants? or should i pay the full rent amount and sue her? These past two weeks have been hell…its not my fault I can’t afford a hotel for two weeks, i had to stay.

    1. Before you reduce the rent for no heat or for that matter any other repair item, the Chicago law requires tenants to notify the landlord in writing that about the problem and what steps you intend to take. It sounds like this was not done. Here is link to the your options for remedying heat related problems https://www.tenants-rights.org/heat-other-essential-services-faq/.

       As for being threatened by your landlord, that could be viewed as retaliation. You may want to consult with an attorney about that. Finally on the next cool day you may want to request an heat inspection from the City of Chicago by calling 311. The problem there is you may have to be home though if your neighbor is home more often it may be better to suggest the neighbor call.

18. I strongly urge that MTO adapt the software being used here so that when a NEW inquiry comes in from a tenant (or landlord) that that comment is immediately emailed to everyone who wishes to be on the list of those willing to handle such inquiries.

    Many inquiries by tenants relate to emergencies, as well as general inquiries. Time is almost always of the essence, particularly when an inquiring party has made the effort to find MTO and enter a comment.

    Can and will MTO inquire as to whether this software allows such “email forwarding” to get so involved who wishes to?

    Paul Bernstein
    paulbernstein@yahoo.com

19. I rent a townhome with a subsidy attached. I have recently found out that my rent was not being applied to my account for a year. I have some of my checks and money orders but not all.

    The management company has now in turned told me that I was reporting incorrect income and that I now owe HUD back money. Also in my file I found that my signature was forged on some of the documents. I received copies of the documents and you can clearly noticed that it is not my signature. On Wednesday I met with the management office to discuss the situation at hand and I received a document with a payment agreement and was told that if I didn’t sign my lease would be terminated. So I signed under duress.

    At this point I don’t know what to do.

    1. Contact an attorney. The Legal Assistance Foundation specializes in subsidy housing.

20. I rent a condo unit in Roger’s Park since 2009. I recently in the last 30 days renewed my lease for another year with the owners representative (owners brother as owner has been gone for last two years in her native country). Just days after the lease renewal I came home to an eviction notice from the Cook County Sheriff on behalf of Wachovia Bank with the owners name on it. It says the order for possession was set in october of last year 2010. There have been many units in foreclosure in this building, and all units have been served over time notices to vacate or options on relocation from Fannie Mae and other companies, I never saw something like this.

    It says if I am not the person named on the notice I may be able to stay for 120 days, may be able not for sure. I have to provide proof of residency like a utility bill and go downtown during the day. I am at work during the day and cannot afford any time off as I am not entitiled to leave without pay. If I miss a day at work I could lose my job as I am in my first 90 days of employment. I know I am not getting my security back 1.5 months of money lost. There was no previous indication from the bank or anyone that this was in foreclosure isn’t there some other notice that must be posted prior to the eviction? Is there anyone I can contact for more time to put together a new security deposit and 1st months rent? I also have bad credit after losing my job in 2009 and falling behind on bills, making it even harder to find a place to live. I have two children that live with their mother, but I have them every weekend per courtorder, so I need a 2 bed apartment to accomidate thier sleeping situation. This has really caused a major issue for me and the notice left no number to contact, it only says go in person. IF I go in person I may lose my job. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Again previously no notice was posted, just the eviction notice on 03/11/2011.

    Thank you,

    Renter in Dispair

    1. The Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act requires the foreclosing bank to honor the rest of your lease. However, you mentioned that you signed a new lease in the last month. My concern is that if you signed a lease after the confirmation of sale (meaning after your landlord has lost ownership), your lease may be void. Your first step is to call the Foreclosure Court – Chancery Division at (312)603-5133 to find out when the confirmation of sale was. If the confirmation of sale was before the date you and your landlord signed the lease, I recommend speaking to an attorney to discuss your options. Email me at meron@tenants-rights.org if you would like an attorney referral. If it’s determined that the new lease is not valid, then the law requires that you are given at least 90 days before your tenancy is terminated.

       Secondly, if the sale has already been confirmed, you should not be paying rent to your landlord as he/she is no longer the legal owner. You can inquire with the lender to find out where you should be sending your rent payment. You must pay rent the entire time you reside there, or else you’ll risk eviction. If there is confusion on where to send your rent, you should escrow the money until you find out. An easy way to do this is buy purchasing money orders by your rent due date each month. You will want to hold on to these money orders in the event your lender demands payment.

       As far as your security deposit is concerned, if your tenancy is governed by the Chicago Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance, your lender is liable for the deposit. If you are renting a condo in Rogers Park, you should be covered, unless your landlord occupies it with you. If your tenancy is not governed by the Chicago RLTO, then your landlord is still liable. Your landlord will have 45 days after your move out to refund the deposit to you. Being that your landlord has just lost a huge asset, it may be difficult to retrieve your deposit and you may need to go to small claims to sue. You can sue for the deposit, interest, court fees, and possibly a penalty of double the deposit.

       Regarding traveling downtown during business hours, I understand your concern about missing work. You may be able to send a representative in your place to prove your residency there. If there is a phone number on the notice, you can call and inquire about your options as far as proving residency without being present.

       If you still need assistance with a security deposit or first month’s rent, you can call 311. Be sure to inform the 311 operator that your landlord is in foreclosure as this may determine if, and how speedy, they can accommodate you.

       -Meron

21. I have asked my landlord to notify me before entering my apartment except in emergencies, when he is allowed to enter at any time. I have needed him to come in frequently to make repairs and have complained to my leasing company about his inability to make correct or timely repairs or to maintain common areas.

    I feel he has retaliated against me by not making an emergency repair to my apartment (not turning my pilot light back on after making repairs to the apartment boiler while turning others back on). He even said to my boyfriend and to the People’s Energy workers that the reason why he did not turn my pilot light back on was because I complain too much and that he was afraid of coming in without my permission. However, the apartment filled to such high levels of gas that we were told to leave the apartment immediately.

    I dont have any money to consult a lawyer. And I am not sure what to do. I am afraid that this will escalate and the leasing company is not being helpful and is actually taking the side of the building manager.

    1. I am not sure how to answer your question. Interpreting the meaning of retaliation is a job for an attorney. It is illegal for the landlord to evict someone for asking for repairs. It is important to document what you do and the actions of the landlord. For instance if you request repairs you can document the request by putting it in writing. There are other steps that you can take and in this case it may be best to consult an attorney.

    2. Michelle: MTO has a list of attorneys who have volunteered to help tenants in need, and many of them on the list, or at least some of them, will provide guidance and help without a fee. On the other hand, very often, especially if there is retaliation, lawyers who help tenants such as yourself CAN COLLECT legal fees, but under the Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance if it applies) the tenant’s lawyer can collect the fees from THE LANDLORD. Contact MTO via voice or the HotLineOnLine for more information on this.

       Paul Bernstein

22. Could you please confirm or edit the following information on foreclosure?

    “If the foreclosure case began after November 20, 2008, the landlord does have to tell current tenants about foreclosure filings within 7 days of being served with a foreclosure complaint. The landlord must also inform any potential tenants before they move in. Tenants who are not properly informed about the foreclosure can sue for $200 in damages and/or terminate their leases.”

    Thank you,
    David Zwaska

    1. It is within 7 days of the landlord learning of the filing.