This Thing They Call the RLTO

So, what you may ask, is the RLTO? Well the RLTO is short for Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance. According to the ordinance it's purpose is to "to establish the rights and obligations of the landlord and the tenant in the rental of dwelling units, and to encourage the landlord and the tenant to maintain and improve the quality of housing" (section 5-12-010 of the RLTO).

For the landlord, the RLTO ensures that they cannot be denied access to the premises to make necessary/agreed upon repairs, decorations, alterations or improvements, to conduct inspections authorized/required by any government agency, to exhibit the dwelling unit to prospective/actual purchasers, mortgagees, workmen or contractors, for practical necessity where repairs/maintenance elsewhere in the building unexpectedly require such access, to determine a tenant's compliance with provisions in the rental agreement, and in case of emergency.

For the tenant, the RLTO ensures that the tenant receives his or her security deposit after they move out, that they are paid interest on their security deposits, that they are notified if their building has been sold, that there is no retaliation should they report their landlord for code violations as well as other ways it protects a tenant's rights.

I will focus on the different sections of the RLTO and the consequences of violating the provisions of the RLTO in future posts

Hope all had a great weekend!

reacting to someone on crutches..

I am on crutches. I've been on crutches for more than a month thanks to a soccer player who was trying to relive the "glory" of his youth on an indoor soccer field. He kicked a ball I was going to kick and tore the MCL in my right knee.

Since I've used my crutches outside my apartment almost everyday I've seen different people's reactions to them.

One in particular sticks in my mind. One day, while I was in Target I was walking down a main aisle and I saw this little girl. She was maybe 3 years old. And she was walking with a woman I thought was her mom. She had the biggest smile on her face.

Then she saw me.

Immediately the smile disappeared and it looked like she saw a monster. Needless to say, she hid behind her mother and stared at me as I crutched past her.

Normally, however, people are very nice to me. They go out of their way to offer their help, opening doors, offering to carry things for me - whatever I need.

But, what I didn't realize is that, that all changes when people encounter me in the dark.

Case in point, last night. I went to a 20th anniversary record company party. I got there, and there were crowds of people outside, smoking. They wouldn't even move to let me in the door. I had to carry my crutches to fit in the door. I know they saw me, people can hear my crutches clicking a mile away. They just sat there.

It got worse inside. I sat off to the side, next to the bar. I cannot tell you the number of people who tripped on my crutches. NOT ONE APOLOGIZED. It got to the point where I started putting more weight on the crutches in the hopes that the next person tripped and fell.

Much to my continued disappointment that did not happen

But, last night made me realize that the way people treat someone on crutches in the dark is far different than the way people treat them when they can see their faces.

God, I cannot wait until I'm off these crutches

My First Blog - Perhaps Disastrous

I should begin by saying that I never thought I would blog, but have recently become open to the idea of enjoying it.

It all started about a month ago, at a law firm meeting. Because our economy is as wonderful as it is right now, my friends as I started a law firm, the Prava Law Group. A few of the members suggested blogging as a way to get our names out there - so here I am.

I guess I made that story seem longer and more interesting than it really was.

About this blog:

There will be discussion of law, mostly Landlord Tenant Law as it relates to Illinois as well as the city of Chicago.

and then there will be non law rants/duscussions/thoughts that will most likely pertain to my life/society/what's going on

I will probably also share things that interest me I find online that may have nothing to do with either

Let's do this