Families rely on single-family homes. Illinois must relax zoning laws and lower minimum lot sizes to make them more affordable statewide.

A barometer of business health shows Chicago is close to marking two years of decline. The city’s employment rate lags the nation.

Restaurants and bars bid to be along Chicago’s Riverwalk, so why a proven business with a lucrative offer was booted is a mystery wrapped up in a secretive city panel.