Apartments Zoned Out of Near North Side Chicago Train Stations

Zoning around Chicago's public transit in relatively affluent areas won't allow for density or any kind of housing other than single family homes.

1 minute read

March 16, 2017, 7:00 AM PDT

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


Chicago Blue Line

Tripp / Flickr

Chicago's Brown and Blue lines pass through a variety of neighborhoods, many of which are gentrifying and very attractive to young Chicagoans. So how much of the housing is zoned for apartments? Less than half. "City zoning code allows only single-family houses on 50.6 percent of the land within two blocks of Brown Line stations between Kimball and Southport," writes Steven Vance for Chicago Cityscape.

The strict zoning around these transit stops is not consistent with zoning around other stops on the city's North Side. "Areas in the North Side around the Blue and Brown Lines don’t have the same medium and high-density zoning districts as the areas around the Red Line. This situation leads to lower housing production of the 'missing middle' — housing that has more units than a single-family house, but wouldn’t be classified as a high-rise," Vance writes. This zoning is counterproductive for a city that is struggling to maintain its population.

Tuesday, March 14, 2017 in Chicago Cityscape

View form second story inside Southdale Mall in Edina, Minnesota with escalators and model cars parked on downstairs floor.

The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall

The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.

March 21, 2024 - Governing

View of Austin, Texas skyline with river in foreground during morning golden hour.

The Paradox of American Housing

How the tension between housing as an asset and as an essential good keeps the supply inadequate and costs high.

March 26, 2024 - The Atlantic

Houston, Texas skyline.

Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities

The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.

March 22, 2024 - Urban Edge

Single-Family Housing Construction

Understanding Affordable Housing Lingo

20 key terms in the affordable housing discussion.

15 minutes ago - Multi-Housing News

Close-up of hand holding charging cable moving toward charging port on electric car.

Undoing Biden's EV Rule

The partisan divide over how government should reduce greenhouse gas emissions was on full display after the Biden administration finalized its emissions standards rule for light and medium duty vehicles on March 20.

1 hour ago - Office of U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan

Aerial view of high-rise buildings on waterfront in Boston, Massachusetts

Boston Moves Zoning Reform Forward

The ‘Squares + Streets’ plan creates form-based zoning templates for neighborhoods that promote mixed use and denser housing near transit.

2 hours ago - The National Law Review

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.