In depth article on Chicago's housing shortage
How City Politics Has Led to a Housing Shortage
Chicago desperately needs more housing. But when it comes to building apartments, the city is its own worst enemy.
Leigh Giangreco Illustration by Robert Neubecker
"At City Hall and in Springfield, there’s a growing movement to loosen zoning laws. Last April, Mayor Brandon Johnson released his “Cut the Tape” report, offering more than 100 recommendations to boost development — including “transformational zoning changes.” Among them: eliminating costly minimum parking requirements for multifamily projects and streamlining approval processes. In Springfield, state Representative Kam Buckner, whose district stretches from the downtown lakefront to South Chicago, proposed a bill last February that would prohibit single-family-only residential zoning in Chicago and seven other Illinois cities"
