Outside the Loop radio shows talks about backyard houses with Chicago Cityscape
Published on Jan. 2, 2021 by Steven Vance
Outside the Loop radio host Mike Stephen and I talked about Chicago’s ADU ordinance on the Saturday, December 26, 2020, episode.
We talked about the history of backyard houses in Chicago, the process to re-legalize them, and what people can build soon (permit applications will be accepted starting May 1, 2021.)
Here’s the episode summary — the show was about housing and shelter. The ADU conversation was first (skip to the 8 minute mark).
Mike Stephen learns about a new city ordinance legalizing coach houses with Chicago Cityscape founder & CEO Steven Vance, discusses the impact of COVID-19 in state prisons with Illinois Prison Project executive director Jennifer Soble, and explores the pandemic’s impact on housing with Geoff Smith of the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University. And in the OTL Wrap Party segment, Mike and Producer Collin reflect on the show and offer some takeaways. The local pandemic tunez come from Phillip Otto.
Mike: “I’m so interested in coach houses, I think they’re so cool. If you walk in the alleys of Chicago, and you check out what’s going on in the back yards, it’s a cool network or patchwork of a community. The coach houses, I always thought, were a neat part of that. I didn’t know it was illegal to be rocking the coach houses. But it’s coming back!” (this is paraphrased)
Collin (producer): “I thought the notion of students or kids coming back to live with their parents was very interesting. During COVID, we’ve seen a lot of college students moving back with their parents. It’s not a big part of our American history, when you’re 18 you leave.” (this is paraphrased)
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