Housing

Given the increasing number of condominium and townhome associations in the community, and requests made to Village staff, programs have been developed specifically for condominium associations. The following free programs are designed to teach good governance practices and strengthen Oak Park’s associations:

Condominium Management Program

The Village has partnered with the Oak Park Residence Corporation to provide one-on-one assistance to small condominium associations with fewer than 12 units. The Residence Corporation will work with individual associations to assess their capacity to manage their association and to build their capacity. Services may include helping to learn how to budget for contingencies, how to conduct meetings and elections, and how to ensure the association is fully protected, topics which may also be covered during monthly seminars. For more information about the Small Condo Management Program or attending the seminars, call 708.243.6075 or email bswaggerty@oakparkrc.com.

2025 Online Seminar Schedule(PDF, 124KB)

Condominium Registration

Following the 2009 housing crisis, tracking the increasing number of rentals in condominium properties and addressing the maintenance of aging housing stock became increasingly challenging. To address these concerns, the Village of Oak Park modified its ordinance, implementing stricter Code Compliance regulations and moving away from previous lenient enforcement practices.

One key change required all existing and newly established condominium associations to register with the Village, accompanied by a registration fee of $10 per unit, designated as an annual inspection fee. Additionally, all common facilities and one-third (1/3) of the dwelling units occupied by someone other than the unit owner must undergo a biennial inspection. The full set of governing ordinance provisions regarding condominiums can be found in the Village of Oak Park Condominium Ordinance.

Each fall, condominium associations receive an annual notice regarding the registration fee, along with a form to update any changes in ownership or newly established rentals. Fees can be paid online through the VillageView portal, with instructions for setting up an account available here: Portal Instructions(PDF, 200KB).

For any questions, please contact the Neighborhood Services Department at housing@oak-park.us.

The Village of Oak Park partners with the West Cook Homeownership Center, a HUD Certified counseling agency, to hold first-time homebuyer seminars. Anyone interested in learning more about buying a home and securing a mortgage is invited to attend a free seminar, held at 7 p.m. in Village Hall, 123 Madison St., the fourth Tuesday of each month. For more information, call the West Cook Homeownership Center at 773.887.5187 or visit www.WestCookHomeownership.org. 

One-on-one foreclosure prevention counseling is available via a toll-free, telephone hotline sponsored by the Illinois Housing Development Authority. The hotline, 1.888.995.HOPE, is intended for homeowners in the early stages of mortgage difficulties – before foreclosure becomes the only remaining option. For more information on assistance programs available to Oak Park residents, call 708.358.5410 or email housing@oak-park.us.

Every dwelling unit in Oak Park is required have properly installed and maintained heating facilities. The equipment must be capable of safely and adequately heating all habitable rooms to a temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit at a distance of two to five feet above floor level when the outside temperature is minimum 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

Landlords must furnish heat to all dwelling units from September 15 through May 15. An average minimum temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit must be maintained from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., and 65 degrees Fahrenheit from 11 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.

Gas or electric appliances designed primarily for cooking or heating water and portable heating equipment that uses flame and liquid fuel or coal cannot be used to provide the heat.

Complaints may be made by calling 708.358.5410 or email to propertyissues@oak-park.us.

The Village of Oak Park is an active member of the Oak Park Homelessness Coalition, an alliance of local businesses, government and service agencies working together to end homelessness in the community. The coalition works to educate residents, visitors and businesses about the issue of homelessness and the resources available for people in need of assistance.

The Village has information and resources for unhoused individuals in the community available at www.oak-park.us/unhoused.

Oak Park was one of the first municipalities in the country to adopt and enforce its own Fair Housing Ordinance. Chapter 13 of the Village Code protects the rights of individuals within the classes of race, sex, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, age, marital status, familial status, disability, or source of income in the purchasing, leasing, securing a loan, renting or occupying housing or other real estate. Any person otherwise qualified who is denied or discriminated against in these processes should contact the Community Relations Division for more information, conciliation or to file a formal, written complaint.

Fair Housing

The Multi-Family Housing Incentives Program is designed to encourage fair housing practices, expand housing options for all prospective renters and improve the quality of multi-family units and dwellings. Qualified applicants of multi-family buildings containing four or more apartments may apply for the following types of incentives:

Matching Grant Program
Grants up to $10,000. Grants must be matched 2:1 by the owner of the building. Vacant units must be affirmatively marketed for three years by the Village’s designated marketing agent, the Oak Park Regional Housing Center.

Rental Reimbursement
Targeted buildings with a history of marketing difficulties may apply for a one-year contract to receive rental reimbursement for vacant units being affirmatively marketed by the Village’s designated marketing agent, the Oak Park Regional Housing Center.

Marketing Services Agreement
Building owners apply to enter into a one-year agreement to make a good-faith effort to affirmatively market units by the Village’s designated marketing agent, the Oak Park Regional Housing Center.

Multi-Family Housing Incentives Program Grant Guidelines(PDF, 44KB)

Multi-Family Housing Incentive Program Grant Application(PDF, 128KB)

Multi-Family Housing Incentives Program Grant Process(PDF, 51KB)

For more information, call 708.358.5410 or email housing@oak-park.us.

All owners of rental housing in Oak Park must obtain a license from the Village. Follow these three easy steps to obtain or renew a license:

1. Submit a completed Residential Rental License Application(PDF, 107KB)
2. Pay the license fee:
   • $10 per unit, for buildings of three or fewer rental units, or
   • $20 per unit, for buildings of four or more rental units.
3. Participate in a management seminar, either in-person or online, within one year. This requirement must be fulfilled with each license renewal.

Mail your application and fee in one envelope to Neighborhood Services, Village of Oak Park, 123 Madison St., Oak Park, IL 60302, ATTN: Multi-Family Rental License.

With the new VillageView portal, it is now easier than ever to obtain or renew your license online. From the portal home page, simply click on Business and Rental Applications under Licensing to create an account or log in. Then select Rental Dwelling License in the drop down box under Choose the License Type in Step 1 of the license application. In addition, you'll need to scan and upload your completed license application. Using VillageView will allow you to submit required documents and check the status of your application at any time. In the future, license renewal will be faster and you will be able to pay your fee online. 

The Village of Oak Park uses Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to rehabilitate affordable rental housing units. Property must be either a single-family detached rental dwelling or a multi-family rental building with fewer than eight units.

A minimum project budget is $2,000 per rental unit and the maximum is up to $5,000 per rental unit inclusive of contingency. Priority is given to applications with units having three or more bedrooms.

Property owners are required to commit or leverage a minimum 25 percent of the total project cost. Property owners must abide by all terms of the forgivable mortgage and the Small Rental Rehabilitation Program Loan Commitment and Agreement for five years. During this period, property owners agree that at least 51 percent of units will be rented to tenants with household incomes at or below 80 percent of the area median income for Cook County.

The maximum rent charged cannot exceed the most current rent limits published by HUD for the Chicago/Naperville/Joliet area depending on the income level of the applicant.

A Request for Applications is issued annually. For application information, call 708.358.5410 or email housing@oak-park.us.

• Small Rental Rehabilitation Loan Program Guidelines(PDF, 74KB)
• Small Rental Rehabilitation Loan Income & Rent Limits(PDF, 192KB)