Evanston's Healthy Buildings Accountability Board is writing rules that would give affordable multifamily rental buildings extra time and financial help to comply with the city's zero-emission building standards. The board is calling for subsidies to offset compliance costs for those property owners, EvanstonNow reported Friday, July 11, 2026.

Specific details of the two-tier system — including eligibility thresholds, subsidy amounts, and how timelines would differ between tiers — have not been made public.

The board plans to seek public input this fall as it refines eligibility criteria, fines, and potential funding sources. According to a Patch summary of the board's plans, detailed building performance standards are targeted for completion by March 2027.

What the ordinance requires

The Healthy Buildings Ordinance, passed by City Council in a 7-1 vote on March 10, 2025, requires buildings over 20,000 square feet to produce zero on-site greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It covers roughly 500 large apartment buildings, commercial properties, hospitals, and schools. Municipal buildings over 10,000 square feet are also included. Condominiums under 50,000 square feet and co-ops are excluded.

It was the first building performance standard of its kind in Illinois.

According to the city's 2022 greenhouse gas emissions report, those roughly 500 buildings account for about half of all citywide emissions. City sustainability officials have said buildings overall represent approximately 80% of Evanston's total greenhouse gas output.

How the rules take effect

The ordinance cannot be enforced until the Accountability Board and a separate Healthy Buildings Technical Committee finish writing performance standards and City Council adopts them. Three industry groups — the Neighborhood Building Owners Alliance, the Chicagoland Apartment Association, and the Building Owners and Managers Association — were approved to nominate Technical Committee members, giving landlords a direct role in shaping the standards.

Building owners who cannot meet the requirements can submit alternative compliance plans on a case-by-case basis. Any board decisions must be confirmed by City Council.

Affordability concerns

Affordability concerns were raised before the ordinance passed. Eric Paset, owner of North Shore Apartments and Condos, Inc., warned at the time of the March 2025 vote: "It's going to affect tenants; the rents are going to be raised."

The Accountability Board is required to report annually to City Council on the ordinance's impact on residential and commercial affordability. The two-tier framework now under development appears aimed at addressing those concerns directly, though the board has not released specifics on how subsidies would be funded or distributed.

Public input sessions are expected this fall, with no specific dates announced.