The Democratic National Convention is Aug. 19-22 in Chicago. But after a year and a half of planning, the political backdrop of the event is radically different than the one organizers started with and that Chicago leaders promised.

Hundreds of Chicago Public Schools buildings have a space-use problem – they’re too empty. Nearly 60% of schools are underutilized while 5% are overcrowded. Only 37% are at ideal capacity. The Chicago Teachers Union wants to add staff to the empty schools.

Government restrictions on zoning and land use are making Illinois housing and rents more expensive then they need to be.

Chicago’s city council could boost housing affordability by expanding a program to allow more dwellings to be developed on existing home sites.