Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks about the PRO ordinance at a press conference in Daley Plaza on June 29, 2026. [Michael McDevitt/The Daily Line]

The City Council’s housing committee on Monday heard from all sides of the debate around a major piece of legislation from Mayor Brandon Johnson that would add new protections and financial relief for renters facing lease non-renewals and increase transparency around corporate apartment building ownership. 

It would also seek to improve the city’s ability to hold bad landlords accountable and increase housing stability for tenants.

“For too long, Chicago has lagged behind other cities. Past administrations have kept organizers at arm’s length while declining to implement critical protections that have yielded results across the country,” Johnson said at a Monday morning press conference in Daley Plaza announcing the introduction of the legislation. “Needless to say, relief is long overdue.”