Residents and village officials in Dolton spent much of the meeting debating how to address a rise in rental properties and whether the village can limit conversions of homes into rentals.

A resident asked the meeting’s attorney what happens after properties are rehabbed and occupied, saying, “But we don't want more rental units,” and urging the board to “consider an ordinance or some motion that would limit the number of rental unit[s], a percentage of rental units within the city.” The respondent cautioned that the board’s power over owners’ private homes is limited, saying, “I don't think the board would be able to regulate what you do with your personal home.”

At least one board member signaled support for the goal but urged care in how the village proceeds. That member cited nearby Markham and South Holland, which put moratoria on rentals and have faced or are facing litigation, and said Dolton should wait to learn from those cases to avoid creating a legal exposure: “Because lord knows we don't need another lawsuit.”

The board also described existing enforcement steps for problem properties: complaint follow-ups, code‑compliance inspections, ticketing and door knocks to bring properties up to standard and issue citations if owners refuse to comply.

An inspector who said he has worked in Dolton since 1988 reported recent rehabilitation activity. He said he inspected seven properties this week in Dolton and that four of them had active contracts; he described several renovated houses as high quality and said such work can attract families and improve neighborhoods. The inspector urged landlords and owners to abide by the law and for the village to hold landlords accountable.

A realtor in the meeting framed a structural constraint on any local caps: Dolton’s designation as an Opportunity Zone under the 2017 federal tax law, the realtor said, makes the village attractive to out‑of‑state investors who can redeploy capital gains under favorable tax rules, and that dynamic makes it unlikely the village could remove all renters by ordinance. The realtor told the board it must “understand what you're sitting on,” referring to investor interest driven by tax incentives.

No formal motion or vote to adopt a rental cap or moratorium was recorded in the transcript. The meeting concluded with officials thanking residents and planning follow-up work on code enforcement and monitoring litigation developments in neighboring jurisdictions.

Ending: The board did not take formal action on an ordinance during the session; officials said they would continue enforcement efforts and watch ongoing moratoria litigation in nearby towns before recommending policy changes.