@acitythatworks

Policy analysis and ideas on how to make Chicago work better.

 Chicago, IL
citythatworks.substack.com/
Joined January 2022
  • Tweets197
  • Following146
  • Followers1.3K
37Media
Join A City That Works and Illinois Comptroller and Mayoral candidate @susanamendoza10 next Friday, October 30th in North Center to discuss her career, campaign, and vision for Chicago. RSVP below: shorturl.at/hgWdg
2
15
487
The detrimental impacts of Chicago’s housing crisis to the city’s economy and population growth cannot be overstated enough, so we decided to visualize it! citythatworks.substack.com/p…
1
2
5
385
Explore our new dashboard to see firsthand what affordability and housing looks like across Chicago. Data is pulled from multiple sources including Chicago building permits, Department of Housing maps, Zillow listings, and US census information. housing.acitythatworks.org/p…
1
78
From fragmented systems to inefficient application processes, Illinois makes it far too laborious to finance affordable housing compared to other states. That needs to change. Feat. @ChiGrowthProj President, Adam Drakulic citythatworks.substack.com/p…
2
2
244
more replies
“The Governor’s office should direct IHDA to lead a common application and coordinated funding process with Chicago’s Department of Housing, CHA, and participating county and municipal housing agencies.”
1
71
“Illinois already makes major public investments in affordable housing. It should get more homes, faster, from the dollars we are already committing. The Governor, IHDA, and local housing funders should put the money we already commit to work together.”
71
“Candidates are already starting to roll out policy proposals. Voters should watch out for empty promises to build some eyepopping number of units, “streamline” permitting or that old standby: “cut red tape.”
1
29
“Chicagoans should look for candidates that clearly explain the causes of the city’s shortage, and are willing to make specific policy commitments that reflect the scale of the problem we face.“
1
58
“But most importantly, while the politics of zoning and code reform is challenging, the political cost of rising rents is far worse. As Republicans are about to learn in the upcoming midterm elections, the “affordability crisis” is not just a slogan for the campaign trail.”
1
60
Housing and affordability are two of the most pressing issues in upcoming elections, including Chicago’s mayoral race. The upcoming mayor will have to go beyond mere promises of “streamlining” and take tangible steps. citythatworks.substack.com/p…
2
214
more replies
“Chicago also has some of the highest construction costs in the country, trailing just New York and the Bay Area. That’s a function of a highly restrictive building code that applies limits on wood frame construction and PVC piping.”
1
26
“It is also not a mystery why Chicago builds so much less than other cities. To start, our zoning code severely restricts the allowable height and density across much of the city.”
1
40
“In the last three years, rents in Chicago have grown faster than any other big city in the country. It’s not surprising that voters now rank housing as one of the three biggest problems facing the city.”
1
93
A City That Works retweeted
Richard Day@richsdayOct 13
Come hang out with the City That Works team and meet a bunch of great candidates for Chicago’s School Board this Thursday. Join @biggs4chicago, Anthony Hargrove, and @Isaiah4CPS at the Goose Island Salt Shed Pub from 5-7pm. luma.com/o32e7cw6
1
2
14
557
Can Chicago truly be “world-class” when it built less homes than Omaha, Nebraska did in 2025?
1
7
26
779
Amongst other major cities in 2025, Chicago ranked dead last in housing construction. For a city of over 2.6 million residents, this ranking is not only an indictment against our cumbersome regulatory environment but threatens our city’s affordability and population growth.
1
2
8
228
Chicago must address its building and zoning codes, rework its permitting process, and address high taxes and regulation that have sent development elsewhere. Read more about solutions to our housing crisis: citythatworks.substack.com/p…
2
3
126
Load more