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2d ago

Council Committee Advances Plan to Legalize Accessory Dwelling Units Citywide

Following Zoning Committee sign-off, the measure will face a full City Council vote with safeguards intended to expand housing supply without altering single-family blocks.

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Ald. Daniel La Spata, 1st, speaks with colleagues before a City Council meeting on April 16, 2025, at City Hall. “Housing supply isn’t everything when it comes to affordability, but it is still essential,” Ald. La Spata said. “I think citywide we are going to see a great benefit born from this ordinance.” (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
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Overview

  • The City Council’s Zoning Committee voted 13 to 7 to advance the ordinance, setting up a full Council vote before the August recess.
  • If approved, homeowners could convert attics, basements, garages and coach houses into additional dwelling units across all neighborhoods without a zoning change.
  • The compromise imposes per-block limits of one to three new units per year by residential zoning district and requires homeowners to occupy primary dwellings.
  • Every second unit must meet the city’s affordability definition and the ordinance prohibits the use of ADUs for short-term rentals.
  • Opponents led by Ald. Marty Quinn argue the by-right expansion erodes aldermanic prerogative and threatens the character of single-family bungalow belt communities.