Redundant Bureaucracy Backfires

Proponents of the PRO ordinance argue that capping move-in fees and launching a new "Bureau of Rental Housing Services" will lower costs for Chicago renters. A closer look at the data shows the opposite outcome.

Today, roughly 85% of Chicago housing providers use upfront move-in fees instead of demanding hefty, multi-month security deposits. This practice significantly lowers the cash barrier for working-class tenants looking for a home. However, fees exist to cover specific transactional expenses, such as repairing turnover damage or re-keying doors. In an NBOA member survey, 45% of housing providers confirmed that banning these targeted fees would force them to raise monthly rents across all units to absorb the costs. Banning a fee simply shifts the cost created by one tenant onto the rents of responsible, long-term neighbors.

Adding bureaucratic overhead, departmental fees, and administrative fines will not replace a single boiler, repair a single porch, or lower a single tenant's rent. Chicago needs real investments in supply, not more red tape.