New report: Chicago vacant lots fuel crime, poverty on South and West sides
Reforms could turn thousands of empty lots into housing, businesses and safer communities

CHICAGO (Aug. 17, 2026) – Chicago has nearly 41,000 privately owned and more than 7,100 city-owned vacant lots, concentrated heavily on the South and West sides.

In 2023, the city-owned lots sitting entirely unused were estimated to be roughly equivalent to the downtown Loop area, contributing to crime rates and hindering economic activity, according to the Illinois Policy Institute’s Center for Poverty Solutions.

A new report from the center found that developing vacant lots could be key to breaking cycles of poverty.

Chicago could make lots more available by cutting zoning and regulatory requirements for building, granting usage to community groups such as block clubs and restricting property tax growth in 17 areas where at least 8.5% of land is vacant.

This could lead to more housing opportunities and make new construction more financially viable, without direct taxpayer subsidies.

“Redeveloping vacant land is tied to more feelings of safety, stronger community ties and reduced crime” said LyLena Estabine, senior policy analyst for the Illinois Policy Institute. “These reforms would give residents, community groups and builders more freedom to turn vacant land into housing, businesses and community spaces. In return, they’d reduce opportunities for crime while expanding jobs and economic opportunity.”

What to know about Chicago’s vacant lots:

• There are 40,814 privately owned parcels classified as vacant, with more than half in single-family residential zones, where they can’t be used multi-family housing or businesses.
• 87% of city-owned vacant land and more than 62% of privately held vacant land is in predominantly Black communities.
• Chicago has sold just over 900 city-owned lots since 2023, while about 7,000 available properties remain.
• Median Chicago homeowner property tax bills rose 16.7% in the latest reassessment, compared with an average 30% increase across 15 South and West Side community areas.
• The community areas with the highest numbers of vacant lots are Englewood, West Englewood, New City and North Lawndale.

To read more about Chicago’s vacant lots, visit illin.is/vacant.

For bookings or interviews, contact media@illinoispolicy.org or (312) 607-4977.