Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot introduced a new ordinance to provide substantive protections to tenants and minimize the number of evictions across the city due to the unprecedented COVID-19 health and economic crisis. The COVID-19 Eviction Protection Ordinance would require landlords to make good faith efforts towards resolutions with tenants before moving ahead with an eviction filing, including offering repayment plans and third-party mediation.  The COVID-19 Eviction Protection Ordinance, which also includes an extended “cooling-off” period and other measures to prevent an expected wave of pandemic-related evictions, is part of the City’s larger relief efforts to address housing issues across Chicago and especially during the pandemic. The ordinance will require landlords filing evictions in the 60 days following the reopening of eviction court due to nonpayment of rent against tenants who have coronavirus-related financial hardships to wait for a seven-day “cooling-off” period in addition to the regular five-day notice period. After the cooling-off period, landlords must show the court that they have engaged in good faith efforts to reach a reasonable alternative to eviction, including mediation, payment plans or other options before an eviction can proceed.