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Alderman presses police on hotel eviction guidance after owners complain officers explained 30‑day residency rule
Summary
Alderman Williams told the committee hotel owners reported police were explaining that guests who stay 30 days may have tenancy rights; the police chief said officers are trained to distinguish guests from tenants under the Innkeepers Act and warned that only attorneys should give legal advice.
Alderman Shawn Williams told the committee on May 26 that multiple hotel owners in his ward have complained after officers responded to nonpayment or removal requests and explained that a guest who has stayed 30 days can gain rights that make eviction a civil process. Williams said owners feared officers were effectively telling guests how to stay and that the practice could discourage hotels from participating in voucher or housing programs.
Williams said owners wanted officers to remove nonpaying guests more readily and asked whether the city could change policy or training to avoid the appearance that officers are "teaching" people how to retain occupancy. He said the issue risked reducing hotel participation in programs that house people connected to homelessness services and could leave owners unable to remove problem guests.
Police Chief (speaker 9) responded that officers are trained to distinguish who has rights as a tenant and who is a hotel guest under the Innkeepers Act. The chief said, "First, nobody should be giving legal advice unless they're a trained attorney, and our officers know that... the 30 day mark is what we train our officers, because once an individual has stayed in a particular unit for an extended amount of time, they can gain rights to remain there." He added that the city’s practice mirrors state practice and that if a matter becomes a civil eviction it may fall under Sangamon County Sheriff jurisdiction.
City legal staff and police also said they would research whether operational changes — for example, policy guidance about re-checking guests to break a potential 30‑day tenancy clock — would be legally effective or helpful. The police chief said the department would follow up and invited aldermen to meet with staff to explore options.
Why it matters: The exchange clarified limits on police authority and the distinction between criminal enforcement and civil eviction processes, and aldermen said they want to avoid incentives that could push hotel owners away from shelter or voucher programs.
Next steps: Police and corporate counsel agreed to review training and policy language and to meet with interested aldermen and hotel owners to try to reduce recurring conflicts and clarify enforcement practice.
