Chicago, Illinois – The City of Chicago has moved to eliminate costly parking mandates across a significant portion of its residential land, a reform aimed at reducing housing costs and promoting transit-oriented development. This move, which applies to both residential and commercial developments, signifies a major shift from previous zoning codes that required a minimum number of parking spaces for new constructions, even when not economically or environmentally necessary.
The decision is expected to alleviate the financial burden on developers, as building a single parking space can cost tens of thousands of dollars, a cost often passed on to residents through higher rents or purchase prices. "Parking mandates make it more expensive to build new housing and businesses," noted one advocate, highlighting the policy's impact on Chicago's housing crisis. The reform does not prohibit developers from including parking but allows them to build based on market demand.
This initiative goes further than New York City's "City of Yes" reforms, which implemented a tiered system for parking mandates. While NYC's plan eliminated requirements in areas with excellent transit access (red zones) and significantly reduced them in others (yellow zones), it maintained most mandates in low-density areas (blue zones). Chicago's broader approach to mandate removal across residential land distinguishes its reform.
Advocacy groups like Open New York, which championed similar reforms in NYC, have lauded Chicago's comprehensive step. The organization, in a recent tweet, congratulated Chicago for "ending costly parking mandates across a majority of their residential land," drawing a direct comparison to New York's more segmented approach.
The push for parking reform is gaining momentum in cities nationwide, driven by concerns over housing affordability, environmental sustainability, and urban planning efficiency. Proponents argue that removing mandates encourages the use of public transportation, reduces carbon emissions, and frees up valuable land for housing and other community-benefiting developments.