The Affordable Requirements Ordinance (ARO) is the City's inclusionary housing program that requires residential developments with 10 or more units that receive City Council approval for an entitlement, a city land purchase or financial assistance to provide a portion of the units as affordable housing.

First adopted in 2007, the latest revision of the ARO was adopted by City Council in April 2021 and is in full effect as of Oct. 1, 2021. The 2021 ARO addresses issues of displacement in neighborhoods seeing rapid development and outlines Community Preservation areas in communities where there is evidence of displacement based on housing market and demographic changes.

Additionally, the revised ARO:

• Allows off-site units to be built in any part of the city lacking in affordable housing or threatened with displacement
• Requires that if the triggering development is in a transit-oriented development (TOD) zone the off-site units must also be in a TOD zone
• Adds mandates and incentives for developers to create deeply affordable and family-sized affordable units
• Increases accessibility standards and adopts preferential leasing for tenants who need an accessible unit
• Requires income averaging at 60% of area median income (AMI) to accommodate more low-income earners

The 2021 ARO is the result of an 18-month process that began in October 2019 with a public call for applications for an Inclusionary Housing Task Force, which published its report in September 2020. In addition to the task force, DOH solicited input from focus groups, public comment, a City Council subject matter hearing, and months of follow-up meetings with developers and advocates to inform the proposal as introduced.

Income Limits and Long-Term Affordability

All owner-occupied affordable units under the ARO are price restricted by the Chicago Housing Trust (Housing Trust). Owner-occupied units must be priced to be affordable to households earning no more than 100% of Area Median Income (AMI) (if Option 1 is chosen under Subsection (F)(3)) or no more than 80% AMI (if Option 2 is chosen). Note that the ARO allows households earning up to 120% of AMI to purchase the units. Rental units may be leased by households earning up to the targeted AMI for the unit. A unit counted as a 60% AMI unit, for example, may be leased by households earning up to 60% of the AMI. 

Click here to review the 2024 maximum monthly rent and gross income limits tables. The charts are updated annually.

Units built under the ARO are required to remain affordable for a period of 30 years.

See a list of rental properties made available through the ordinance and other city programs. To see a list of affordable homes for sale created via the ARO, please visit the Chicago Housing Trust website. 

To receive email updates on available for-sale units, please fill out this form. 

2021 ARO

Residential developments that receive City Council approval for an entitlement, city land sale, or financial assistance after October 1, 2021, are subject to the 2021 ARO.

2015 ARO

Residential developments that received City Council approval for a rezoning, city land sale, or financial assistance prior to Oct. 1, 2021 are subject to Chapter 2-44-080 (the 2015 ARO) of the Municipal Code of Chicago if a building permit application for the residential development is submitted prior to Oct. 1, 2025.

ARO Pilots

Residential developments in the Near North/Near West, Milwaukee Corridor, and Pilsen/Little Village Pilot Areas are subject to Chapters 2-44-090, 2-44-100, and 2-44-105, respectively,of the Municipal Code of Chicago.

To determine if a project is located within a Pilot area, enter the project address in the ARO Web Form.

ARO Leasing and Compliance Training for Property Management Staff