11 legislation updates for zoning, land use, and housing legalization proposals in 2025

In this exceptionally long, subscriber-only newsletter, I'll review the latest Chicago and Illinois legislative updates about ADUs and middle housing, transit, affordable housing tax credit, parking relief, single stair, design standards, green social housing, industrial zoning, energy, and gas stations. This is one of my biggest updates in the 11 years that Chicago Cityscape has been in business.

Accessory Dwelling Units (Chicago and state)

Chicago's three-year pilot program to allow ADUs in five distinct geographies in the city reached its four year anniversary in May. The pilot program is still in effect and ADUs are still being permitted, but many Chicago Cityscape members and readers ask me every year when it will be possible to build for them ADUs anywhere in the city. 

There was ADU legislation in Springfield that passed the House's housing committee. It would have largely solved the problem of Chicago still limiting ADUs to five pilot areas, but HB1813 did not get approved by the May 31 session deadline. (This deadline is important in the next two sections, as well.)

Alderperson Lawson (44th Ward) has an ordinance (since the pilot program turned two) that would legalize ADUs citywide but require a special use approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals for property owners in RS-1 and RS-2 zoning districts. Meanwhile, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) investigated City Council's use of discretionary zoning and found that aldermanic prerogative is a practice that perpetuates segregation, based on where the City Council allows affordable housing to be built. 

Lawson says he has the votes to pass the ordinance, but the Mayor's Office doesn't think that that RS-1 and RS-2 exception will help the city comply with HUD's demand for a compliance agreement to move away from the current practices. 

Further reading about ADUs:

• WBEZ Reset interview with a coach house owner and the actual grandma who lives there
• Alex Nitkin's article in Illinois Answers Project (which we provided data for)
• Our March article about the state housing bills

Pitch in: Sign Abundant Housing Illinois's petition, and reach out to your alderperson (check the list to see who's already co-sponsoring Lawson's ordinance). 

Middle housing (state)

Another state bill to legalize more housing, HB1814, also didn't pass in the Illinois General Assembly this year. Representative Rita's bill would allow 2, 3, and 4-unit houses on any...