Community Development Department - Property Standards
The Property Standards Division performs periodic interior inspections of all residential multifamily buildings, exterior inspections of all commercial and industrial buildings, administers the Village's Home Improvements and Graffiti Removal programs, and conducts exterior inspections of all buildings. Through enforcement of the adopted 2006 International Property Maintenance Code and the Village Code, the Division seeks to preserve the quality of the Village neighborhoods, protect each building owner's investment, and insure the well-being of the building's occupants.
Home Improvements Program
If you are a Skokie homeowner you may be eligible to receive financial assistance for eligible home repairs. The goal of this program is to assist moderate-and low-income households in maintaining the quality of their homes and reducing energy consumption. A well weatherized home means increased year-round comfort and smaller utility bills.
Qualified low-income households may receive grants from the Village of up to $8,000 for eligible housing improvements. Eligible grantees are required to sign a separate payback agreement. Qualified moderate-income households may receive interest- free loans from local banks up to $8,000. The Village of Skokie will make the grants and interest subsidies to homeowners using federal Community Development Block Grant funds.
For an application of the Home Improvement Program click here. If you would like additional information, please contact the Property Standards Division at 847/933-8224.
Graffiti Removal Program
When the Village observes graffiti or is notified that graffiti exists, a Police Investigation Report is filed. This report is forwarded to the Property Standards Division for a follow-up inspection and a written notification requiring removal is sent to the property owner. If the graffiti is not removed within ten days of notification, the Village will remove the graffiti at the property owner's expense. By removing the graffiti from your property you help to eliminate its adverse effect on your neighborhood.
If you need assistance or information on removal methods or removal firms, please contact the Property Standards Division at 847/933-8224.
Automobiles
Vehicles parked on private residential property are required to be operable and currently licensed. Many commercial vehicles cannot be parked on a residential lot or a residentially zoned street. All vehicles must be parked on a durable, approved surface. Other Village Code requirements are:
Tires, car parts, or repair equipment cannot be stored in public view or on vacant parcels.
Inoperative vehicles parked on Village streets are subject to citation or towing.
Repairing, spray painting, or restoring vehicles on private property is not permitted.
Dumping toxic materials, such as oil or other fluids, in public street drains, gutters, or on public or private property is environmentally unsafe and a serious violation of the Village Code and State and Federal Law.
Home Maintenance Tips
The Village of Skokie encourages its citizens to maintain high standards of property maintenance. The Property Standards staff works directly with the community to assist with any concerns citizens may have pertaining to property maintenance. When assessing conditions in your neighborhood that need to be addressed, use the checklist below as a guide for identifying some of the more common violations:
Peeling paint
Inoperable or abandoned vehicles
Possible fire hazards
Accumulation of storage and debris
Boat, RV, and trailer storage
Graffiti
Condition of accessory structures
Weeds
Broken windows, doors, or fences
Abandoned buildings
If a violation is cited, a notice is sent to the property owner identifying the code violations. Failure to correct the problems within the required time frame may result in the issuance of citations.
If you need additional information or wish to make a complaint, contact the Property Standards Division at 847/933-8224.
Tenant-Landlord
The Village of Skokie does not have a Tenant-Landlord Ordinance. Security deposit interest and other lease issues may be regulated by the State of Illinois. The Attorney General has published information on Landlord Tenant Rights and Laws.
The Property Standards Division will respond to a tenant complaint of a code violation. The property owner is responsible for maintaining the building in compliance with the minimum standards established in the adopted 2006 International Property Maintenance Code. If a code violation exists in your building or apartment, you should first notify the owner of the problem. If the owner fails to respond in a timely fashion, call the Property Standards Division at 847/933-8224 to schedule an appointment.
Flood Control Program
The Village will assist you and your neighbors in designing a drainage system to correct flooding problems in your yard or block. Although the Village will provide the system design, assist in project biding, and inspect the completed system at no cost, property owners must pay the entire cost of building the system. Upon receiving the signed application, the Village will meet with you and your neighbors to develop alternative methods for the correction of the flooding problem. For a printable Flood Control Program Application, click here. To learn more about the Village's comprehensive Storm Water Runoff Control Program, please click here.
Downspout Disconnection
The Skokie Village Code requires that all exterior downspouts on buildings in R1, R2, and R3 districts in Skokie are to be disconnected from the sewer system. This requirement is an important part of the Village's ongoing program to control storm water runoff and prevent flooding.
The following suggested procedures have been prepared to provide the property owner with the basic information to perform downspout disconnection. The procedures do not encompass all conditions that may be encountered, but are intended to serve as guidelines.