Chicago Ald. Quinn pushing ‘decoy’ ordinance to block granny flats
Ald. Marty Quinn’s proposed ordinance would restrict additional dwelling units in Chicago to just 20% of the city and add costly labor mandates. It also boosts each alderman’s power over what Chicagoans can do with their own homes.
Ald. Marty Quinn, 13th, plans to push a decoy ordinance on Sept. 25 that severely limits where additional dwelling units can be built, requires apprentice labor and boosts aldermen’s power.
On Sept. 25, the Chicago City Council is expected to finally vote on the ordinance from Ald. Bennett Lawson, 44th, that would allow homeowners across the city to apply to build additional dwelling units. But in anticipation of the vote, Quinn, an outspoken opponent, has created his own ordinance that holds Chicago back from developing adequate housing stock by continuing to restrict supply.
Quinn’s ordinance would require aldermen to opt in before allowing additional dwelling units in their wards. That would lead to more housing opportunities on the North side of Chicago, where pro-housing aldermen such as Lawson, Timmy Knudsen, 43rd, or Angela Clay, 46th, reside. It would further limit development in already struggling wards on the South and West sides, which are most in need of more housing and more opportunity.
His ordinance would also limit the units to just 20% of the city. By comparison, Lawson’s ordinance would open the opportunity to 61% of the city, an enormous improvement.
Quinn’s ordinance also expands aldermanic prerogative by letting aldermen impose conditions for allowing conversion units in their wards. That means aldermen can arbitrarily decide who gets to build in their backyard, what it can look like and more. The practice of aldermen controlling what gets built in their wards has already been criticized by federal authorities. Rather than rein in that practice, Quinn seeks to expand it.
For areas that do opt in, Quinn’s ordinance would require homeowners to use contractors who participated in a registered apprenticeship program rather than any licensed contractor. This severely limits who people can choose to build their basement or backyard dwelling, diverging from typical construction rules. By keeping people from being able to choose any licensed contractor, this labor mandate is likely to raise construction costs. This adds another barrier to construction and would likely make rents in the units higher.
But that’s exactly what Quinn wants. Knowing that the majority of Chicagoans support additional dwelling units and that time has run out to shut granny flats and coach houses out altogether, he has decided to take advantage of the union power that already controls so much of Chicago and Illinois politics to pass an ordinance that makes it as hard as possible to build new housing.
“I’ve got the CFL, the Cook County Building Trades and 11 other unions that agree with my position,” Quinn said. “If my ordinance comes to the floor in its current form, how many alders are going to sit there and vote against labor?”
Chicago homeowners should get to decide what gets built in their backyard and who builds it, based on clear and consistent rules. The last thing Chicago housing needs is more costs, burdensome regulations, union mandates and more aldermanic control.
Take action
Use our “take action” tool to tell your alderman to stand against Quinn’s anti-housing decoy and vote “yes” on Lawson’s ordinance to legalize additional dwelling units across Chicago.