Freeport’s Rental Registration Ordinance: Progress Made, Gaps Exposed

FREEPORT, IL – June 27, 2025

Since its initial passage in November 2013, Freeport’s Residential Rental Property Regulation Ordinance—Chapter 876 of the city code—has been touted as a key tool for accountability, tenant safety, and blight prevention. But data obtained by Fighting4Freeport shows that while the ordinance has registered 1,671 rental properties, an estimated 582 suspected rental properties remain unregistered as of the April 1, 2025 deadline.

The ordinance requires all landlords to register their properties annually, with the 2025 registration deadline extended to April 1. Failing to register can result in fines ranging from $100 to $500 per unit, depending on the lateness of filing. Records show 21 fines issued and collected to date, bringing $2,850 into city coffers. Fine amounts ranged from a modest $50 to a maximum of $500.