Single-room occupancy (SRO) housing is among the most affordable rental options in many cities. However, SROs are frequently lost due to gentrification and luxury redevelopment, leading to the displacement of tenants with few alternative housing options. The City of Chicago passed the 2014 SRO Preservation Ordinance to prevent the loss of SROs and protect tenants who are displaced when buildings are redeveloped; yet SRO building turnover has continued since it was enacted. This qualitative study evaluated the tenant-interfacing components of Chicago's ordinance and associated rules from the perspectives of displaced SRO tenants. Twenty-seven individuals from four SROs were identified through convenience and purposive sampling. After screening, the final sample included 17 tenants who experienced displacement under the ordinance. Through deductive coding, participants described experiences related to key ordinance stipulations, including: (a) tenant notifications (i.e., being informed their building was posted for sale or notified of lease termination), (b) relocation financial assistance (i.e., receipt of $2000 to cover moving expenses), (c) higher relocation assistance provided for non-preservation sales, (d) acts of retaliation by owners are prohibited and restitution for tenants who faced retaliation, and (e) provision of relocation services (i.e., a staff person hired to assist tenants in finding housing). Findings illuminate aspects of the ordinance that tenants viewed positively and others that could be strengthened to better support tenants upon displacement, such as more robust relocation services, as well as areas for further evaluation.
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