Chicago Based Sober Living/Transitional Home

[Timothy Pauldon]

Hey guys,

I'm looking to open sober living/transitional housing in the Chicagoland area. I ideally would like to lease a townhome or SFL home to run my first one. Must I tell the landlord prior to signing the lease of what I am looking to do? From what I understand, Chicago Zoning Laws permits the use of the space for group living but may require a special permit. I'd ideally like to move into the space, start the permit process (if needed) and begin operating. Or, do I need the permit to begin operating?

Does anyone have any experience with starting sober living in the Chicagoland area? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks so much!!!

[Eric Farnan]

There’s good news regarding your dream to open a Chicago area sober living home is that you would not be the first to do so, & there are literally hundreds of smaller mom & pop style SLH’s in the area that are currently operating & would be more than willing to help guide you through the process so you don’t have to go at it alone (now I sound like a sponsor), also there are numerous Federal, State, City, County, & private grants, benefits, & tax deductions you can receive to help you get started & operating. 

The bad news is that your idea has a few major flaws besides the fact that you absolutely must disclosure your intent to any landlord according to the 2020 IL TLRO Tenant Landlord Residential Lease Ordinance - the most obvious of which is that you are leaving yourself as an individual open to enormous personal liability. You are going to want to consult a legal expert & if you know what general neighborhood or suburb you’re looking to start this in, consult the local alderman’s office or city hall who can help save you weeks/months/years of time in person vs. just clicking around the internet. You might want to try calling these local municipal offices beforehand And talk to a helpful civil servant by phone in advance to make the most of your visit and minimize the amount of time you spend in person during this pandemic bc govt offices are incredibly backed up and stretched super thin right now. 

Lastly, after you receive advice from other Chicago area SLH operators & the local municipal agencies that will not only save you time but direct you towards ways to save you money, you are going to likely want to register your business as an LLC with the state and obtain the proper small business renters Insurance policy under your LLC's name (if its just a 2-3br operation the policy monthly premium cost will be very low and will shield you as an individual from the very probable situation of being personally liable for the behaviors, damages, & actions of a traditionally high-risk short-term tenant group bc no landlord's homeowners insurance policy will cover any damages or personal liabilities that will occur when they discover the nature of the operation. There are zoning compliance rules & chances are you will not be able to operate w/in 1,500ft of any school or park but overall i think your dream is very noble and with the right help, very obtainable. Good luck!