**Important update**
Some new details on what property owners can build by right on land zoned for residential under Pritzker's plan:
≤2,500 sq ft: 1 unit
2,500–5,000 sq ft: up to 4 units
5,000–7,500 sq ft: up to 6 units
7,500+ sq ft: up to 8 units
Map showing average height for buildings within a quarter-mile of each CTA 'L' station in Chicago. Individual building height was calculated using the difference between a 2018 digital surface model (DSM) and digital elevation model (DEM) and using the median value within a building's footprint. DEM and DSM models were provided by the Illinois State Geological Survey. Building footprint data (2017 vintage) were downloaded via the City of Chicago data portal. Map and analysis by Jeremy Glover @jgrantglover.bsky.social
Chicago is actually really bad at building TOD. There are only 34 'L' stations in the entire city where the average surrounding building height is greater than 30 feet, and 16 of them are in the Loop.
Transit reform/funding bill approved in the Senate. This is final passage
We saved transit.
Witness slip submission instructions
It’s witness slip time! 🚨
Transit funding bill SB2111 has been assigned to committee and we need folks to file witness slips as PROPONENT immediately!
The attached graphic provides guidance for submitting a slip.
mbl.ms/mKgZnW7m-BQ
Under Ald. Quinn's ADUs plan... regular side street apartment building tiny basement apartment doesn't need union labor ...but a tiny basement apartment for grandma would require union labor, jacking up costs call your alderperson, ask them to support Ald. Lawson's ADU plan
Under Ald. Quinn's ADUs plan...
regular side street apartment building doesn't need union labor
...but a tiny basement ADU for grandma would require union labor, jacking up costs
One-third of Chicagoans can't afford cost of living
Over the last 10 years:
🏘️ Housing costs ⬆️ 45%
🥕 Grocery costs ⬆️ 28%
We MUST build more housing
Image of typical Chicago two-flats, three-flats, and four-flats with a text overlay that says "Chicago just eliminated parking mandates for residential areas located near public transit"
🚨 HOUSING WIN 🚨
Today, the Chicago City Council eliminated costly parking mandates for all residential zones located near CTA and Metra bus and rail stations. 🥳
This important reform will lower construction costs and make it easier to build new homes across almost all of Chicago. 🏘️
JB riding the red line with Chicagoans
Hey @govpritzker.illinois.gov whip your party into shape. You have unacceptable results on transit revenue and reform from Springfield.
After passing Illinois Senate, a bill that would fund & reform Chicago’s transit system failed to be considered by the House, which adjourned for the session.
Chicago’s CTA, Metra & Pace transit systems now face big cuts in service from the fiscal cliff that the state legislature didn’t address.
The house is about to adjourn for the session.
No transit funding, no parking reform, no four flats by right, no ADUs by right, and large nuclear remains banned. Man, what a let down. We were so close on all of these. Woof.
CTA wouldn’t make an ‘L’ map of what their doomsday could look like, but I did. RTA says the CTA could reduce or close four entire lines and close or greatly reduce service at 50 stations, so here’s what killing 4 lines and 50 stations could look like.
Welcome to the future.
hey @govpritzker.illinois.gov what's the plan to ensure that Chicagoland transit doesn't topple over the fiscal cliff, squandering one of our most distinctive assets and ending all hope of a sustainable or equitable future for the region
Illinois deserves a fully funded, world-class transit system. Please file a witness slip as a "proponent" for SFA3: my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/...
Big news: after pushing back against the unfunded version and previous funding options, labor is filing witness slips in *support* of this version. Join the chorus and file a witness slip in support of Amendment 3!
⬇️ take this action now!
If you want transit in Chicago to be saved, sign a “Proponent” witness slip immediately!
Firm: “Self”
Representing: “Self”
Subject matter: “HB 3438 - SFA 3”
Position: Proponent
Testimony: “Appearance Only”
my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/...
"Filtering" is very important to understanding the impacts of new market-rate development, but the term seems to be used to describe two different things.
Today, I discuss two kinds of "filtering" in housing (and recent economic research on each topic)
pencillingout.substack.com/p/what-do-we...
Missing middle housing in Logan Square, featuring pride flag
This afternoon, the IL House’s Housing Committee moved forward bills that would legalize ADUs statewide and missing middle housing statewide! 🏘️ 🥳
Abundant Housing IL endorsed both of these bills, and our members sent over 1,500 letters of support to Chair Jimenez and Speaker Welch
#HB1813 #HB1814
ACTION ALERT
The People Over Parking Act has been assigned to the house Executive Committee for a hearing TODAY.
Please sign a “proponent” witness slip. For “Firm/Business” I put “Abundant Housing Illinois”
my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/...
Everything got so stupid so quickly.
Rendering of Fern Hill’s Old Town development with an approved sticker
Today, the Chicago Plan Commission APPROVED Fern Hill's Old Town Canvas development, located at 1600 North La Salle Drive! 🥳 🌆 🏗️
349 new homes, including 70 affordable homes, are one step closer to reality in this high-opportunity, transit-oriented neighborhood.
Next stop, Zoning Committee!
As a private citizen, I submitted a comment to the Plan Commission in support of the Broadway rezoning--on both sides of Broadway medium.com/@DanielKayHe...
🚨 HOUSING WIN 🚨
For the first time in decades, a new high rise will be built in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.
This outcome, while reduced in scope from the original proposal, was made possible thanks to the dedicated efforts of our members.
Read our full statement here:
The same week that Alderman Hopkins rejected 500 new homes in Old Town, the Montgomery Ward building sold for *83% less* than its 2018 sale price.
Aldermanic prerogative is speed-running Chicago to fiscal insolvency.
www.chicagobusiness.com/commercial-r...
Chicago will lose out on the benefits that the project would’ve provided:
• 100 new affordable housing units
• 400 new market rate housing units
• Several hundred new residents that would’ve patronized local businesses
• $2+ million per year in annual property taxes
• Bike & pedestrian improvements
One of the biggest reasons why we’re [gestures wildly] here right now is because at some point we started worrying more about being performative than actually performing.
We need to get back to getting shit done.
