Eviction Filing Rate
Eviction Orders (%)
Representation (%)
Poverty (%)
Race (%)
Back Rent Sought (median)

How Many Evictions Are There?

An eviction may be filed with the court only after a landlord provides notice to the tenant and the tenant does not vacate the unit by the date specified in the notice. Chicago saw an average of more than 22,500 eviction filings per year between 2010 and 2019. Relying on eviction court records alone substantially underreports the number of forced displacements. Court records only provide information on formal evictions. No information is available about the untold number of informal and constructive evictions that occur due to illegal lockouts, denial of essential services, refusal to perform maintenance or repairs, intimidation, unconscionable rent increases, and coercive cash for keys deals. Many other renters are displaced by the city itself in Chicago’s building courts, when rental properties are condemned and vacated due to negligent landlords.

Eviction Filings

The eviction court filing provides the first quantifiable information available on evictions.

The drop in eviction filings is partly due to the decrease in subprime mortgage crisis related foreclosures.

The overtime average is 1,818.

From 2010 to 2019, number of eviction filings decreased by 1%.

For 2019, South Shore ranked 1st in Chicago for number of eviction filings.

Rental Units

Rental unit data come from the American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

The overtime average is 20,906.

For 2018, South Shore ranked 8th in Chicago for rental units.

Eviction Filing Rate

The eviction filing rate is the number of eviction filings per 100 rental units.

The drop in the eviction filing rate is partly due to the decrease in subprime mortgage crisis related foreclosures.

The overtime average is 8.7%.

For 2019, South Shore ranked 1st in Chicago for eviction filing rate.

On average, eviction filing rate for South Shore was much higher (136.9%) than Chicago.

Sealed Cases

Cases that have been sealed from public viewing.

Except for number and rate of eviction filings, this report does not include sealed cases in calculations.

The overtime average is 5.8%.

From 2010 to 2019, percent of sealed cases increased by 257.3%.

For 2019, South Shore ranked 59th in Chicago for percent of sealed cases.

On average, percent of sealed cases for South Shore was much lower (40.9%) than Chicago.

Who Gets Evicted?

Court records don’t provide any demographic information and we haven’t conducted any surveys, interviews, or court monitoring in tandem with this report. To begin exploring the question of who gets evicted, we can look at data from the US Census Bureau to make some inferences based on poverty and racial composition of Chicago’s Community Areas and Wards. Much more research will be needed to fully understand the effects of and interplay between race, poverty, place, presence of children, gender, age, and disability on rates of eviction.

Poverty

People whose income is below the poverty level from the American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Poverty information is for all people, not just those facing eviction.

The overtime average is 33.2%.

From 2010 to 2018, percent of poverty increased by 13%.

For 2018, South Shore ranked 10th in Chicago for percent of poverty.

On average, percent of poverty for South Shore was much higher (64.1%) than Chicago.

Race

Race data come from the American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Race information is for all people, not just those facing eviction.

Why Do Evictions Happen?

Most landlords filing for eviction also made claims for back rent, supporting the common belief that most evictions are for non-payment of rent. Eviction case filings do not distinguish between tenants who could not pay their rent and those who legally withheld their rent (for repairs or other allowed reasons). This distinction may only come to light if tenants are able to assert their rights in court. Unfortunately, online court records don’t provide the specific reason for the eviction filing. Beyond the existence of a rent claim or not, the court data provide little help for a deeper look into the reasons for eviction.

Eviction with Back Rent Cases

Eviction with Back Rent cases are those where the landlord is suing for both return of the property and back rent.

The overtime average is 83.4%.

From 2010 to 2019, percent of eviction with back rent cases decreased by 11.2%.

For 2019, South Shore ranked 60th in Chicago for percent of eviction with back rent cases.

On average, percent of eviction with back rent cases for South Shore was about the same as Chicago.

Back Rent Sought

The amount the landlord is seeking in damages (back rent).

The overtime average is $1873.

For 2019, South Shore ranked 61st in Chicago for back rent sought (median).

On average, back rent sought (median) for South Shore was somewhat lower (7.5%) than Chicago.

Rent

Median rent data come from the American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Median rent information is for all renters, not just those facing eviction.

Median rent from the American Community Survey is not reported at the community area level and is presented as a range based on census tract data.

What Happens In Eviction Court?

Eviction cases typically result in tenants losing their homes, and as such, court outcomes are presented here as eviction orders (and are inclusive of an eviction order and/or a money judgment against a tenant). Most tenants receiving eviction orders moved out or were forced out by the sheriff. The outcomes in the other cases were primarily dismissals—with no judgment in either party's favor—though a small number (0.3%) of cases ended with judgments in tenants' favor, but this does not mean tenants got to stay. In our experience, in most dismissals tenants avoided receiving detrimental eviction orders by moving out "voluntarily" before their court date, or as required by a settlement agreement with their landlord.

Eviction Orders

Eviction Orders in this report are inclusive of cases ending in an eviction order and/or a money judgment against a tenant.

The overtime average is 63.7%.

From 2010 to 2019, percent of eviction orders decreased by 6.6%.

For 2019, South Shore ranked 23rd in Chicago for percent of eviction orders.

On average, percent of eviction orders for South Shore was somewhat higher (5.9%) than Chicago.

Eviction Orders by Default

Cases ending with an eviction order (and/or a money judgment against a tenant) that occurred by default because the tenant did not appear in court.

The overtime average is 16.6%.

From 2010 to 2019, percent of eviction orders by default increased by 73.8%.

For 2019, South Shore ranked 13th in Chicago for percent of eviction orders by default.

On average, percent of eviction orders by default for South Shore was somewhat higher (12%) than Chicago.

Eviction Orders at First Time Up

Cases ending with an eviction order (and/or a money judgment against a tenant) that occurred at the tenant's first time in court.

The overtime average is 32.6%.

From 2010 to 2019, percent of eviction orders at first time up decreased by 61.2%.

For 2019, South Shore ranked 71st in Chicago for percent of eviction orders at first time up.

On average, percent of eviction orders at first time up for South Shore was about the same as Chicago.

Does Having An Attorney Matter?

Avoiding an eviction order is only one measure of the benefits of having an attorney. Attorneys assist tenants in asserting their rights as well as negotiating with landlords’ attorneys on the amount of back rent owed and amount of time tenants have to move in order to find replacement housing. Tenants without lawyers – often without knowing their rights – sign agreements they either don’t fully understand or feel pressured to accept in order to avoid what they believe will be an immediate eviction.

Representation

Cases where landlords had attorney representation in comparison to cases where tenants had attorney representation.

On average, for South Shore, the difference in representation was about 81 percentage points, for Chicago it was about 70 points.

To put it another way, in South Shore, landlords had attorneys about 895% more often than tenants.

Eviction Orders by Representation

To compare the likelihood of getting eviction order (and/or a money judgment against a tenant), cases are divided into two groups: those where tenants had attorney representation and those without. The percentage of cases ending in an eviction order for both groups is presented.

On average, a South Shore tenant's likelihood of getting an eviction order without an attorney was about 65%, for Chicago it was about 62%.

With with an attorney, it was about 49%, for Chicago it was about 46%.

Eviction Orders by Default by Representation

To compare the likelihood of getting an eviction order by default, cases are divided into two groups: those where tenants had attorney representation and those without. The percentage of cases ending in an eviction order by default for both groups is presented.

On average, a South Shore tenant's likelihood of getting an eviction order by default without an attorney was about 18%, for Chicago it was about 16%.

With with an attorney, it was about 5%, for Chicago it was also about 5%.

Eviction Orders at First Time Up by Representation

To compare the likelihood of getting an eviction order at first time up, cases are divided into two groups: those where tenants had attorney representation and those without. The percentage of cases ending in an eviction order at first time up for both groups is presented.

On average, a South Shore tenant's likelihood of getting an eviction order at first time up without an attorney was about 35%, for Chicago it was also about 35%.

With with an attorney, it was about 6%, for Chicago it was about 5%.

What About Legal Aid Attorneys?

Legal aid is free legal assistance to lower income people provided by nonprofit legal aid organizations, law schools, court-based services such as self-help centers, and legal information websites. Civil legal aid is "central to our notion of equal justice under the law.” - President Barack Obama.

Attorney Type

Cases by the type of attorney (private or legal aid) tenants had in court.

Due to the low number of tenant attorneys, this section presents actual totals and not percentages.

In South Shore, from 2010 to 2019, private attorney representation increased by 5.3% and legal aid attorney representation decreased by 61.1%.

Eviction Orders by Attorney Type

To compare the likelihood of getting an eviction order (and/or a money judgment against a tenant), cases are divided into three groups: those where tenants had no attorney, those with private attorneys, and those with legal aid attorneys. The percentage of cases ending in an eviction order for each group is presented.

On average, a South Shore tenant's likelihood of getting an eviction order without an attorney was about 65%, for Chicago it was about 62%.

With a private attorney, it was about 52%, for Chicago it was also about 52%.

With a legal aid attorney, it was about 27%, for Chicago it was about 24%.