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May 7, 2026AHIL Member Tasnim Tanveer Testifies before the Illinois House Executive CommitteeGood morning. Thank you to the committee for the opportunity to speak. My name is Tasnim Tanveer. I am a volunteer member of Abundant Housing Illinois, a pro-housing advocacy group with over 530 members.
April 24, 2026AHIL Lead Steffany Bahamon testifies before the Illinois Senate Executive CommitteeChair Castro, members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify.
April 22, 2026Guest essay: Evanston zoning debate shows need for Pritzker housing planAfter attending approximately a dozen community meetings in Evanston regarding proposed changes to the city’s comprehensive plan and zoning code, it is clear to me that the Illinois General Assembly must pass Gov.
April 20, 2026A day in Springfield with Abundant Housing IllinoisEarlier this month I made the trip down to Springfield to volunteer with Abundant Housing Illinois, an advocacy organization pushing for more housing options across the state.
April 1, 2026Abundant Housing Illinois-backed housing affordability policies are hugely popularIllinois voters overwhelmingly support the zoning and building code reforms that Abundant Housing Illinois (AHIL) endorses to improve housing affordability in Illinois, even if it means less power…
March 10, 2026The case for Equine Opportunity ZoneLetters to Editor by Eddie Lehwald
March 7, 2026Neighborhoods aren’t ‘saved’ with less housingLetters to the Editor by Josh Chodor
February 19, 2026Statement on Building Up Illinois Developments (BUILD) from Housing OrganizationsHousing Action Illinois Press Release
February 19, 2026AHIL statement on Governor Pritzker's BUILD ActBy Steven Vance and Steffany Bahamon
January 28, 2026Lawsuit won’t stop Edgewater progressLetter to the Editor by Neville Hemming
December 19, 2025Abundant Housing Illinois celebrated the wins of 2025 at the Big Tent Urbanist holiday partyOn Wednesday, December 17, Abundant Housing Illinois celebrated our collective wins in 2025 with our partner organizations.
December 4, 2025Budget Talks are Missing One Key OptionChicago is at a financial tipping point.
November 24, 2025Make 2026 the year to achieve real progress on reforming housing affordabilityBy Steffany Bahamon, Jasmine Omeke and Steven Vance
November 7, 2025Newsletter: November 2025Illinois Legislature passes transit bill 🚇
September 25, 2025ADU Advocacy 101 recapLearn about ADU advocacy in Chicago ahead of the upcoming important vote on September 25, 2025.
September 23, 2025Here's why people support citywide ADUs in ChicagoWe compiled a cross-section of comments submitted by signers of our ADU petition.
September 12, 2025ADU Ordinances ComparisonCompared to alternatives, Alderperson Lawson's ordinance (SO2024-0008918, introduced in May 2023) to legalize Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) across Chicago will build more homes at lower costs,…
September 10, 2025Letters: Why upzoning Broadway will be good for ChicagoLetters to the Editor by Bryan Duff, Noah Ayoub, Neville Hemming, and Ben Nagy
September 3, 2025Newsletter: September 2025We're pulling out all the stops to ensure Chicago City Council votes to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) citywide at the September 25th City Council meeting.
August 1, 2025Newsletter: August 2025While we're bummed that the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) ordinance was "deferred and published" at this month's City Council meeting, it did a greatjob diverting attention away from Ald.
July 31, 2025Better Urban Planning & Let Others BenefitLetters to the Editor by Neville Hemming and Noah Ayoub
July 29, 2025Chicago Slashes Parking Mandates In a Big Win for Small DevelopersChicago just took a major step toward becoming a stronger, more resilient city.
July 28, 2025Build the City We WantLetter to the Editor by Alec Schwengler
July 22, 2025Opinion: Chicago can't afford to stall on coach houses ordinanceChicago had the opportunity to deliver two significant housing reforms, but aldermen’s desire to preserve the political machine got in the way.
July 13, 2025Why the Suburban Mayors Coalition’s claims about proposed development policies in state transit reform/funding legislation are bogusRead the Suburban Mayors Coalition for Fair Transit statement here.
June 23, 2025Chicago has multiple crises that more housing could mitigateChicago currently faces a dire financial crisis that could leave the city with a $1.2 billion budget deficit in 2026 and a potentially higher deficit in 2027.
May 29, 2025Look at ZoningThe May 15 cover story talked at length of the segregation and exclusion faced by Black households in Springfield and throughout Illinois. Not once in the 3,971-word article was the word "zoning" used.
May 21, 2025Want more affordable housing? Start by ending parking mandates.In his day job, Nick Serra works to redevelop and preserve some of Chicago’s favorite housing stock: two- to four-unit multifamily buildings.
May 19, 2025House shortage can be addressed this monthBy Chloe Groome, Drake Warren, and David Alvarado
May 13, 2025The Southwest Side isn’t a suburb. Stop zoning it like one.The weather is getting nicer — but no amount of sunshine will thaw the zoning across Chicago’s Southwest Side, which is frozen in time.
April 22, 2025Newsletter: April 2025We helped approve so many homes in April that we had to write a blog postabout it! Highlights include:
April 14, 2025Blog Post: Housing wins for the week of April 14, 2025This week, Chicago's City Council approved three housing developments – including two where Abundant Housing Illinois members pushed back on NIMBYism - and two proactive rezonings.
April 10, 2025Mobile homes are some of the best affordable housing, but Wall Street threatens their existenceI was working in eastern Kentucky last fall when I received a call from a woman facing her second eviction. Months earlier, her apartment had been sold to a new investor, and rising rents forced her out.
April 8, 2025Opinion: A better way to approach the challenge of Lincoln YardsChicago keeps rolling the dice on mega-developers, with the result that vast tracts of prime, taxable land are tied up in stalled projects.
March 31, 2025How Chicago can lower the cost of building affordable housingIn 2023, Chicago spent $747,000 per unit to build new, city-supported affordable housing.
March 8, 2025Broadway MakeoverIf you drive along Broadway between Montrose and Devon avenues, you’ll see the types of strip malls, drive-thrus and big-box stores that are more reminiscent of the suburbs than a city.
February 28, 2025Zoning change along Broadway will help Edgewater thriveAs an Edgewater resident living west of Broadway, north of Foster Avenue, I am thrilled that the Chicago Plan Commission, with the support of the 46th, 47th, and 48th Ward alders, has approved the…
February 18, 2025Press Release: Housing advocates support legislation to make homes available, affordableSPRINGFIELD, Illinois – Abundant Housing Illinois, a grass-roots organization that advocates for affordable, sustainable and inclusive cities, is promoting a legislative package intended to make…
February 13, 2025City’s housing decisions ‘limit what Chicago could be’Ald. Brian Hopkins recently announced a “compromise” development for 349 new homes in Old Town, following his rejection of an earlier proposal with 500 units.
February 10, 2025Newsletter: February 2025Save the date for February 27th at 6:00 pm for our next abundant housing happy hour! Exact details TBD, but we plan to meet in Uptown or Edgewater given the ongoing efforts to rezone Broadway for more homes.
February 3, 2025Statement: Ald. Hopkins’ decision regarding the proposed homes located at 1600 N LaSalleAbundant Housing Illinois is pleased that Alderman Hopkins has announced (1) his support for a proposal that will bring 349 new homes to Old Town at 1600 N LaSalle.
January 30, 2025The Long Road out of PrerogativeThis past Friday, Alderman Brian Hopkins (2nd Ward) sent out a short email saying he would not support a proposed development at 1600 N LaSalle in its current form.
January 6, 2025Now playing on Broadway: Upzoning proposal could bring more residents to Edgewater and UptownA potential land use plan for Broadway in Edgewater and Uptown would be good news for these neighborhoods, sustainable transportation, and the city at large.
November 22, 2024Newsletter: November 2024We're closing out another big year for Chicago urbanists with a bang! Save the date for our co-hosted holiday party at 6pm on Wednesday, December 11th at Revolution Brewing's Taproom.
October 25, 2024What the Bungalow Belt can teach us about housingAccessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) have arrived at a pivotal moment for the Bungalow Belt. As living costs rise, innovative strategies to reduce costs and boost incomes are crucial.
October 23, 2024Newsletter: October 2024Keep an eye on our 🏗 Project Board for real time info on what we're working on and where we need help.
September 17, 2024Newsletter: September 2024We don't have a standalone happy hour this month, so we're teaming up with a coalition of urbanist organizations for a September happy hour featuring special guest Jacky Grimshaw!
September 6, 2024Researchers: How to fight racial segregation? End exclusionary zoning in Illinois.By Eshan Dosani & Harold Pollack
August 13, 2024The courtyard block solution to Chicago’s family flight problemHow do we stop the alarming flight of young Chicago families to the suburbs? By building European-style courtyard blocks — starting with the U.S. Postal Service site in the 2500 block of West Lawrence Avenue.
August 12, 2024Newsletter: August 2024This month, we're joining forces with our YIMBY Action comrades and kicking off the Democratic National Convention with a banger of a happy hour!
July 5, 2024Additional dwelling units can help homeowners and make housing saferFran Spielman’s recent article “‘Bungalow Belt’ City Council members brace for battle over ‘granny flat’ expansion” didn’t address related positive impacts likely to result from allowing “additional…
June 29, 2024The Southwest Side’s potentialChicago, famed for its towering skyline and vibrant culture, has the potential to become even more globally competitive.
June 18, 2024Newsletter: June 2024We're in Lincoln Square for our June happy hour! Please join us at Lincoln Square Taproom on Thursday, June 27th at 6PM.
May 28, 2024In Old Town, opponents of new housing block much-needed developmentA town hall meeting in Old Town on May 7 demonstrated perfectly everything broken about Chicago’s housing and zoning policies.
May 13, 2024Newsletter: May 2023We're in Lawndale for our May happy hour! Please join us at Inside Town Art Collective on Thursday, May 16th at 6PM.
April 18, 2024Newsletter: April 2024We're back in the South Loop for our April happy hour. Please join us at Roots Pizza at 6 pm on Thursday, April 25th.
March 20, 2024To meet CTA ridership goal, we need more housing near the ‘L’CTA President Dorval Carter Jr., in his appearance before the City Council last month, articulated a goal of serving 2 million CTA riders per day.
March 11, 2024Newsletter: March 2024Representative Kam Buckner has introduced HB 4213, which would legalize Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) statewide.
February 26, 2024This land-use bill would help address the shortage of housing stock in big Illinois citiesState Rep. Kam Buckner of Chicago has introduced another land use bill that Illinoisans should support.
February 6, 2024Newsletter: February 2024We're excited to kick off 2024 with a happy hour in the South Loop! We will be gathering at Roots Pizza at 6 pm on Wednesday, February 21st.
December 11, 2023Newsletter: December 2023It's been a big year for our Illinois UE chapter, and we're excited to celebrate our wins with all of you at our holiday happy hour! We will be gathering at Will's Northwoods Inn at 6 pm on Thursday, December 14th.
December 4, 2023Affordable housing would get a boost with better zoning policiesBy Pranay Bhargava & Richard Day
November 21, 2023Newsletter: November 2023Last week, Urban Environmentalists, along with ten incredible partner organizations, released a statement calling on Mayor Brandon Johnson to nominate a Zoning Chair who will prioritize abundant…
November 16, 2023Statement: Abundant Housing Illinois and partners urge Chicago Mayor to prioritize building more housingHousing, transit, and safe streets advocates urge the Johnson administration to nominate a new Zoning Chair who will tackle common-sense reforms to make it easier to build affordable housing and…
October 24, 2023Newsletter: October 2023This Sunday, join Urban Environmentalists, Better Streets Chicago, Active Transportation Alliance, and Chicago Family Biking for a bike jam and people protected bike lane where UE volunteer and…
August 14, 2023Newsletter: August 2023We've launched our first Evanston housing petition! We are writing Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss in support of the proposed homes located at 1621 Chicago Ave in Downtown Evanston.
July 15, 2023Newsletter: July 2023Last month, UE members Alec Schwengler and Richard Day published an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune describing our work surveying Chicago City Council members about various housing policies.
June 2, 2023City Council has a real chance to tackle Chicago’s housing crisisBy Richard Day & Alec Schwengler
September 26, 2022Redesign Chicago streets to be less car-centricRecently, the long-running Japanese TV show “Old Enough,” where preschool-age children run their first errand, has gained worldwide attention.

How we work

Reform the rules

Back zoning reform and streamlined permitting so more homes are legal to build, especially near transit and jobs.

Educate & engage

Turn out residents to the meetings that matter and make it easy to take a pro-housing position on local projects.

Build partnerships

Work with neighbors, labor, faith groups, and builders toward a shared abundant-housing agenda.

Abundant Housing Illinois is a chapter of YIMBY Action.

One of the local groups organizing for more homes across the country, backed by the national team.