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For over 40 years our Rental Counseling Program has worked with property owners and managers to promote our vibrant and diverse community. We offer training and informational resources which include fair housing laws and basic property management. Additionally, OPRHC encourages affirmative marketing that overcomes informational biases that lead people to avoid or have little knowledge about communities. We promote all areas of the region in order to increase racial integration.
Marketing/Management Assistance for Property Owners
We provide assistance to building owners and managers to market their units to attract a diverse demand for their buildings. In addition to providing owners with marketing resources, we can provide first-hand knowledge of the changing amenities renters are looking for in a home.
When you list your rental apartment, condo, or house with the Housing Center, you benefit from our vast industry knowledge and thorough familiarity with all of Oak Park and neighboring communities, as well as our ability to provide you with prospective tenants fitting your rental criteria. Services offered to property owners include:
- Valuable information on tenant screening, selection, management, and retention
- An on-site preview of your apartments with personalized advice on how to showcase and market your vacancy in comparison with other similar rentals
- Guidance through the tenant application process, with referrals to companies offering tenant screening and background checks, as well as direction to the appropriate pre-lease documents to use
- Recommendations to help you take advantage of the best market timing to list and renew your leases
- Expert counsel on fair housing compliance
- Referrals for remodeling and repairing your rental property along with other local products and services to help retain and renew your tenants
- An understanding of, and aid in applying for Village funding programs
Property Improvement Assistance
We serve small property owners by providing small grants for home repairs and technical assistance to improve the condition of rental units in 2- and 3-flat buildings. Owners with vacant apartments who own 8 or fewer units in total can qualify for this program. To date, over 80% of the participants in the program have been long-term traditional residents.
The owners we assist in this program are often unable to access other incentives and programs. These grants help owners make repairs and upgrades to their units that successfully bring them back to the market. This results in increased housing options, improves the quality of local housing stock, and improves the financial stability of traditional residents.
Owners also receive technical assistance from the Housing Center to ensure their success. We provide them with a list of reputable local contractors and help them in the bidding process. This ensures quality work and reinvests the money within the community. We also provide them with a property management seminar that includes education on all aspects of property management and tenant relations. Seminar participants learn how to budget for the future, improve interaction with tenants, and maintain the quality of their buildings.