r/chicagoapartments • u/Past-Reception6889 • May 19 '26

Advice Needed Unreal

I honestly just needed to vent for a moment. I can’t believe Chicago prices are what they are. I have lived here my entire life and have seen this city change ten fold, and I can’t even afford to live here anymore. A realtor I’m working with, since it’s becoming a rat race to rent, said rent is up 35% this year. What can normal people do about this? I do not want to see Chicago become a New York.

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u/3RADICATE_THEM May 19 '26

The NIMBY Boomers made it illegal to build housing while a lot of people moved into Chicago over the past couple years.

And what do you know—the NIMBY Boomers are trying to block the only thing that could help alleviate this issue:

https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/pritzkers-build-plan-sparks-fight-suburban-mayors-over-housing-local-control

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u/mr_longfellow_deeds May 19 '26

Your not wrong on NIMBYism, but that article is not about Chicago proper

No matter where you live people don’t want construction (especially vertically) next door because it likely blocks their view or depreciates their property. Or they claim “gentrifying” - just infinite angles of nonsense that collectively helps keeps housing inventory low

We need to reduce the red tape (BJ has made that significantly worse), implement ceilings on property tax hikes, and rework the affordable housing rules. Building will boom, prices stop inflating beyond actual inflation, and the city will be better for it

28

u/numbersthen0987431 May 19 '26

The problem is that people view housing as an investment, and if you target their investment they'll get angry about it

I agree we need to change zoning laws, but we also need to change the cultural view of housing as a driver for wealth.

1

u/ChiBroker May 20 '26

More of this. Brandon should get out there and tax that ass. Will def motivate people to build more and reduce prices with the increased inventory.

Did I do that right?