The Barrington village board approved a crime-free housing ordinance Monday, a move that starting next year will allow landlords to evict tenants if they or their guests commit a crime within 100 feet of their home.
The measure, approved by trustees in a 5-1 vote, goes into effect in May 2024. Its creation was among the reasons village officials cited last year when they successfully sought voter approval of home-rule status.
“In the past, on occasion, there have been instances where it would have been a valuable tool to have landlords act when a tenant was engaging in criminal behavior on the property that was bothersome to the other residents, to the nearby neighbors,” Village President Karen Darch said.
Another key element of the ordinance is its requirement that landlords obtain a residential operating license and attend a village crime-free housing seminar to learn “ways to discourage unlawful behavior,” she added.
Village Manager Scott Anderson said the village will be working behind the scenes to educate the community ahead of the ordinance going into effect.
Under the ordinance, every residential lease must contain a “Crime-Free Housing Lease Addendum.” Failure to include the addendum could result in the property owner’s license being suspended or revoked.
More here.
Related: “Barrington begins discussion of crime-free housing ordinance”
More anarcho-tyranny. If you’re a landlord in Barrington now you’re required to be licensed (i.e., taxed) and pass a government class (i.e., controlled). And, if you rent to the “wrong” people, the government can revoke your license, keeping the property empty until all that bureaucratic red tape is resolved. Cook County law doesn’t allow for rental applicant rejection based upon criminal record. Lake County is going to follow. Now landlords are punished by the county for rejecting a tenant based on criminal record and will be punished by the municipality should the ex-con commit a crime while residing in the property – and we all know that recidivism rates are low. Eye roll. Nice job Barrington. Home Rule is off to a great start.