Bed Bugs

“Earlier this year, the City Council passed an ordinance to help address the problem of bed bugs. The ordinance requires that landlords provide a brochure on bed bugs to tenants when signing a new or renewing an existing lease or other rental agreement. The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) was tasked to develop this brochure and make it available to landlords by posting it on our website. The CDPH is working to develop that brochure and make it available on this website. We recommend that landlords and property managers check our website after November 1st for its availability. Please note the requirement to provide the tenant with the brochure applies only to leases or other rental agreements entered into or renewed after December 23rd, 2013 (the effective date of the ordinance). Additionally, please note the requirement to provide this brochure DOES NOT apply to owner-occupied buildings containing six units or less.

The ordinance also requires governing associations of condominium or cooperative buildings to prepare a pest management plan for the detection, inspection and treatment of bed bugs. The CDPH was tasked to develop a sample plan that governing associations may use to prepare their plan. The CDPH is working to develop that sample plan and make it available on this website. We recommend that representatives of governing associations check our website after December 1st for its availability. Please note that governing associations do not need to have a plan in place until March 24, 2014 (90 days after the effective date of the ordinance).”