§ 18-180 — Abatement; urban decay

(a) Except as provided below, a home rule municipality upon adoption of an ordinance by majority vote of its governing authority, may order the county clerk to abate, for a period not to exceed 10 years, any percentage of the taxes levied by the municipality and any other taxing district on each parcel of property located in an area of urban decay within the corporate limits of the municipality and upon which a newly constructed or newly remodeled single-family or duplex residential dwelling unit is located, except that the total abatement for any levy year shall not be in an amount in excess of 2% of the taxes extended by all taxing districts on all parcels located within the township that contain residential dwelling units of 6 units or less. In the case of a newly remodeled single-family or duplex residential dwelling unit, the amount of the abatement may not exceed the amount of property taxes attributable to the improvements, and no abatement shall be granted with respect to the value of the land. An abatement adopted under this Section shall be extended to all subsequent owners of an eligible property during the abatement period. The ordinance shall provide that the same percentage abatement of taxes shall apply to all eligible property subject to the abatement ordinance, except that any abatement granted for any parcel that is within a redevelopment area created under Division 74.4 of Article 11 of the Illinois Municipal Code at the time the ordinance is adopted shall not exceed the amount of taxes allocable to taxing districts. No abatement adopted under this Section shall apply to a parcel of property if the owner does not live in the single-family or one of the duplex residential units. Before final adoption of an abatement ordinance under this Section, the governing authority of the home rule municipality shall notify by mail each affected taxing district of the pending ordinance. This Section does not apply to property annexed by a municipality after January 1, 1989. For the purposes of this Section, a zero lot line dwelling, such as a townhouse or development, is considered a single-family residence. (b) The governing authority of each affected taxing district shall within 10 days appoint one member to serve on an Abatement Review Board to review the terms and conditions of the proposed abatement ordinance. The Board shall be convened by the mayor or village president of the municipality considering the abatement ordinance. The ordinance shall not be adopted less than 45 days after the Board is convened. Failure to appoint a member to the Board does not affect work of the Board. The Board shall report the findings and conclusions to the governing authority of the municipality not later than 30 days after it is convened. (c) Any abatement granted under this Section prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly shall be reduced in 20% increments annually during the last 4 years of the abatement period for the property. (d) For purposes of this Section: (1) "Area of urban decay" means an area demonstrating conditions of a "blighted area" or "conservation area" as defined by Section 11-74.4-3 of the Illinois Municipal Code, notwithstanding the minimum acreage requirement contained in the definition of a "redevelopment project area" under that Section. Qualifying factors of blight or conservation shall be defined as those present within the year prior to adoption of the ordinance designating the area of urban decay. (2) "Duplex" means a 2 family residence that is not more than 2 stories plus a basement in height and is located on a single parcel of property. (3) "Newly constructed" means constructed and ready for occupancy not earlier than one year before the date the municipality first orders the abatement for the parcel under this Section. (4) "Newly remodeled" means that the property contains improvements that were completed not earlier than one year before the date the municipality first orders the abatement for the parcel under this Section.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 103-931, eff. 8-9-24.)