PRO vs FAIR: Chicago's Two Rental Bills, Explained
Photo via Unsplash
Chicago's landlord-tenant law is now the subject of two competing proposals, not one. In spring 2026, Mayor Brandon Johnson introduced the Protecting Renters Ordinance (PRO) — a sweeping rewrite of the roughly 40-year-old Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO). In July 2026, a group of 16 City Council members countered with the Fair and Accountable Illinois Rental (FAIR) Ordinance, a scaled-back alternative. Neither has passed. If you own or manage rental units in Chicago, the version that ultimately wins will shape how you handle evictions, non-renewals, fees, and registration. Here's what's actually in each, side by side.
Two Bills, One Fight
The PRO is the mayor's tenant-protection package, pitched alongside a "Tenant Bill of Rights." The FAIR Ordinance was introduced by 16 members of the Budget Accountability Coalition — the same bloc that pushed through an alternative to the mayor's budget — as a direct, landlord-friendlier counter. Broadly: the PRO adds new tenant protections and a registration system; the FAIR Ordinance keeps a lighter version of the fee rules but strips out the provisions landlords objected to most — chiefly just-cause and the registry fees.
Side by Side: Where They Differ
| Issue | Protecting Renters Ordinance (Mayor) | FAIR Ordinance (16 Council members) |
|---|---|---|
| Just cause to evict / decline renewal | Required — landlord needs a recognized reason to remove a tenant or refuse to renew | Eliminated — no just-cause requirement |
| Relocation assistance (no-fault) | Owed to tenants displaced through no fault of their own | Removed for most landlords; kept only for nonprofit / owner-occupied buildings of 6 units or fewer, at $3,000 or 3 months' rent, whichever is greater |
| Rental registry fee | Citywide registry, roughly $20–$60 per unit/year | Dropped — no mandatory registration fees |
| Application fee cap | ~$20 | $50, with most fees allowed if disclosed in writing, itemized, and reasonably related to an actual cost |
| Junk fees | Banned; charges must reflect a documented cost | Allowed if disclosed, itemized, and tied to an actual cost |
| Small-landlord treatment | Some exemptions (e.g., owner-occupied ≤6 units) | Broader exemptions for small landlords |
| Illegal lockout penalties | Enforcement via a new city bureau | Fines of $2,500–$5,000, plus $1,000 for each day of an illegal lockout |
Figures reflect the bills as introduced; specifics can change as the ordinances move.
The Fault Lines That Matter Most
Just cause. This is the biggest philosophical split. Under the PRO, "I'd rather not renew" stops being a complete answer — you'd need a recognized reason (nonpayment, serious lease violation, owner move-in, substantial rehab, and so on), and no-fault removals would carry a relocation payment. The FAIR Ordinance drops that layer entirely, leaving today's framework — where a landlord can generally decline to renew for almost any non-retaliatory reason with proper Fair Notice — largely intact.
Registry fees. The PRO would stand up a citywide rental registry funded by a per-unit annual fee ($20–$60), plus a new Bureau of Rental Housing Services to handle complaints. The FAIR Ordinance keeps the enforcement teeth on illegal lockouts but scraps the mandatory registration fee that small landlords objected to.
Fees. Both bills tighten fee practices, but differently. The PRO bans "junk" fees outright and requires every charge to map to a documented cost. The FAIR Ordinance takes a middle path: it raises the application-fee cap to $50 and permits fees that are disclosed, itemized, and "reasonably related to an actual cost." For a landlord, the practical difference is that FAIR leaves more room to pass through real, documented costs.
What This Means for Landlords
It's tempting to root for the lighter bill, but the smart move is to prepare for either outcome — because the parts they share are the parts most likely to survive in any final compromise. A few practical moves:
- Clean up your paper trail now. Whether or not just-cause passes, dated records of lease violations, careful notice timing, and honest, itemized charges protect you under both bills — and under today's law.
- Audit your fees against the stricter standard. Both proposals push toward "charges must reflect a real, documented cost." Any fee that doesn't map to an actual expense is a liability under either version.
- Budget for the registry, but don't overcommit. If the PRO prevails, you'd owe a per-unit fee (unless you fit a small-landlord exemption). If FAIR prevails, that cost disappears. Plan for the possibility; don't bank on either.
- Rethink no-fault turnover. A gut rehab, condo conversion, or demolition could carry relocation costs under the PRO. FAIR narrows that to small nonprofit/owner-occupied buildings — but the dollar figure there ($3,000 or three months' rent) is not trivial.
- Watch the Council, not the headlines. With two live bills, a compromise is as likely as a clean win for either side. The final rulebook may borrow from both.
Where It Stands
Both ordinances are before the City Council and neither has passed. The PRO is the mayor's priority; the FAIR Ordinance is the counter from Council members who argue the mayor's version would raise the cost of owning and developing rental housing — costs they say get passed to tenants as higher rents. Tenant advocates counter that cities like New York, Los Angeles, and nearby Evanston already run similar just-cause and registry programs. Because both bills are still moving, treat every specific above as a current proposal, not a final rule.
For the full picture, see our rundown of all the 2026 Chicago & Illinois landlord law updates, and our deeper explainer on the Protecting Renters Ordinance.
Key Takeaways
- Chicago now has two competing rental-law bills — the mayor's Protecting Renters Ordinance and the landlord-backed FAIR Ordinance. Neither has passed.
- The PRO adds just-cause eviction/non-renewal, relocation assistance, a citywide rental registry (~$20–$60/unit/year), and a junk-fee ban.
- The FAIR Ordinance eliminates just-cause, drops registry fees, narrows relocation assistance to small nonprofit/owner-occupied buildings ($3,000 or 3 months' rent), and caps application fees at $50 while allowing documented, itemized fees.
- Both bills tighten fee practices and push toward "charges must reflect a real cost" — the part most likely to survive any compromise.
- A merged or amended final version is a real possibility; prepare for the shared provisions rather than betting on one bill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the FAIR Ordinance now the law in Chicago?
No. Both the FAIR Ordinance and the mayor's Protecting Renters Ordinance are proposals before the City Council. Neither has been enacted.
What's the main difference between the PRO and the FAIR Ordinance?
The PRO requires "just cause" to evict or decline a renewal and creates a rental registry with per-unit fees. The FAIR Ordinance eliminates the just-cause requirement and drops the registry fees, while capping application fees at $50 and allowing documented, itemized charges.
Would I have to register my rental units?
Under the mayor's PRO, yes — with an annual per-unit fee (roughly $20–$60), subject to some small-landlord exemptions. Under the FAIR Ordinance, the mandatory registration fee is dropped.
Which bill is more likely to pass?
That's unsettled. With two live proposals and organized support on both sides, a compromise that borrows from each is as plausible as a clean win for either. Watch the Council's Housing and Real Estate committee for movement.
