Illinois home prices have jumped nearly 50% since 2018 while available housing hasn’t recovered since the pandemic, creating a housing shortage.

Published Jan. 23, 2025 Chicago’s 2020 Additional Dwelling Unit Ordinance, while well-intentioned, has stifled development. Despite 71% of Chicagoans being in favor of putting additional dwelling units on existing residential lots – higher than the national average – restrictive and inequitable regulations have ensured very few are built.1 Only 44% of pre-approved applications have received...

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s first effort at building “affordable” housing is costing nearly $700,000 per unit. Similar units in the same area cost $126,583.

Rent is unaffordable for half of Chicagoans, averaging $2,200 a month. The key to affordable housing is to build more housing, but that won’t happen until city government reduces its role.