Report: Downzoning Fails Demographics on Chicago's Northside

"The Lakeview Chamber of Commerce is concerned that restrictive zoning, car parking requirements, and changing household types may hinder growth in the high-demand neighborhood and negatively affect local businesses," reports Steven Vance. "The chamber, along with Special Service Area #27 (map), published a report this week [PDF] that shows that not only is Lakeview’s housing supply failing to keep up with population growth, it’s actually decreasing."

An increasing number of families is, of course, a problem a lot of neighborhoods would love to have, but the report also identifies a downside to the changing demographics and the evolution its bringing to the housing stock in the neighborhood:

"The number of households in Lakeview decreased by one percent between 2000 to 2011, but the population increased 11 percent, with most of the growth attributed to an increase in families with children. Having more families in Lakeview is a good thing, [SSA Director Lee] Crandell said. 'It means we’re the kind of neighborhood where people want to have and raise kids.'

"However, as a result of the increase in families, and the resulting conversion multi-unit buildings to single-family homes, the neighborhood is losing housing that’s suitable for single people, couples, and renters. 'We’re trading one type of population for another instead of accommodating all,' Crandell said."

The article also discusses the report's recommendations for how to improve the situation and help Lakeview contribute to the growth of the Chicago economy, including a model provided by the city's transit-oriented development ordinance, enacted in September 2013.