Chicago’s Reform Test: Zoning, Cops, Buses and CPS — June 16, 2026

Housing Moves Ahead While City Hall Watchdogs Hit Walls — June 17, 2026

Chicago housing leads with Avondale and McKinley Park projects advancing, plus a West Garfield Park affordable complex breaking ground. The episode also maps why ethics enforcement can stall when watchdogs, the Board of Ethics and City Hall lawyers collide. IN THIS EPISODE 1. New Housing OK'd For Avondale, McKinley Park, Streeterville And Across From Johnny's Icehouse [https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/06/16/new-housing-okd-for-avondale-mckinley-park-streeterville-and-across-from-johnnys-ice-house/] — Block Club Chicago # New Housing OK'd For Avondale, McKinley Park, Streeterville And Across From Johnny's Icehouse Author: Quinn Myers Published: 2026-06-16T21:16:34+00:00 Source: blockclubchicago.org (blockclubchicago.org) Language: en ## Story New Housing OK'd For Avondale, McKinley Park, Streeterville And Across From Johnny's Icehouse The apartment portion of a large development at 3231-65 N. California… 2. Church-Backed Affordable Apartment Complex Breaks Ground In Garfield Park [https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/06/16/church-backed-affordable-apartment-complex-breaks-ground-in-garfield-park/] — Block Club Chicago WEST GARFIELD PARK — A housing project aiming to offer affordable apartments and wraparound social services to West Side families broke ground this week. C.A.R.E. Manor, a development by Garfield Park nonprofit United For Better Living, will be a 44-unit apartment complex at 4531 W. Washington Blvd. The $32 million development will include primarily family-sized units and offer social services to… 3. Step Back — Chicago has a Board of Ethics, an inspector general, and a City Council ethics committee — so when an alderperson or city official is accused of corruption, who actually has the power to investigate and punish them, and where are the loopholes big enough to drive a ward office through? BACKGROUND SOURCES * OIG Urges City Council to Regulate Conduct of Members - Chicago Office of Inspector General [https://igchicago.org/2025/08/20/oig-urges-city-council-to-regulate-conduct-of-members/] — Amir Nijem * Ald. Jim Gardiner Won’t Have to Pay $20K Fine After He Is Cleared of Violating Ethics Ordinance | Chicago News | WTTW [https://news.wttw.com/2025/06/16/ald-jim-gardiner-won-t-have-pay-20k-fine-after-he-cleared-violating-ethics-ordinance] — WTTW * Ald. Jim Gardiner Sues City After He Was Accused by Inspector General of Slapping Critic With Unfounded Tickets | Chicago News | WTTW [https://news.wttw.com/2026/05/13/ald-jim-gardiner-sues-city-after-he-was-accused-inspector-general-slapping-critic] — WTTW * Chicago’s Watchdog Says City Lawyers Withheld Records About ‘High-Profile’ Hires | Chicago News | WTTW [https://news.wttw.com/2026/03/04/chicago-s-watchdog-says-city-lawyers-withheld-records-about-high-profile-hires] — WTTW * Measure Designed to Tighten Ethics Rules to Stop Mayor’s Office From Obstructing Probes Advances | Chicago News | WTTW [https://news.wttw.com/2025/07/14/measure-designed-tighten-ethics-rules-stop-mayor-s-office-obstructing-probes-advances] — WTTW * After Burke and Madigan Convictions, Push for Ethics Reform at Inflection Point: Analysis | Chicago News | WTTW [https://news.wttw.com/2025/07/14/after-burke-and-madigan-convictions-push-ethics-reform-inflection-point-analysis] — WTTW * Chicago’s Top Lawyer on Ethics Reform, the Cost of Police Misconduct Lawsuits | Chicago News | WTTW [https://news.wttw.com/2025/07/17/chicago-s-top-lawyer-ethics-reform-cost-police-misconduct-lawsuits] — WTTW 4. Elected School Board - Chicago Board of Education [https://www.cpsboe.org/elected-school-board] — Chicago Board of Education * [Home](/home) * [Meetings](/meetings) * [Committees](/committees) * [Policies & Rules](/board-policies) * [About](/about) * [How can we help?](/contact) * [Supt-CEO Search](/supt-ceo-search) Meeting registration opens Jun 8 # Elected School Board **NEW! Informational Meeting on Elected School Board** We hosted a webinar on June 17 at 6 p.m. to share information around CPS’ upcoming… Daily TopFive for Chicago Politics and Urbanism Daily. Links above go to the original articles. Follow and rate Chicago Politics and Urbanism Daily on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-chicago-daily-fix/id1895649620] or Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/70Xl3C6mvct6Wif5EAvxay]. Feedback? Email chicago-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com [chicago-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com].

Chicago’s Reform Test: Zoning, Cops, Buses and CPS — June 16, 2026

Chicago zoning reform, CPD deployment, CTA reliability and CPS governance all point to the same question: whether City Hall can turn reform slogans into measurable housing, safety, transit and education outcomes. IN THIS EPISODE 1. [PDF] Upzoning Chicago: Impacts of a Zoning Reform on Property Values and Housing Construction | Semantic Scholar [https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Upzoning-Chicago%3A-Impacts-of-a-Zoning-Reform-on-and-Freemark/1b545b4d8aaf1533c3203f1f46187202d33711d6] — Urban Affairs Review * DOI:[10.1177/1078087418824672](https://doi.org/10.1177/1078087418824672) * Corpus ID: 159317550 # Upzoning Chicago: Impacts of a Zoning Reform on Property Values and Housing Construction ``` @article{Freemark2020UpzoningCI, title={Upzoning Chicago: Impacts of a Zoning Reform on Property Values and Housing Construction}, author={Yonah Slifkin Freemark}, journal={Urban Affairs Review}, … 2. Step Back — When city leaders say Chicago needs more cops, what do we actually know about how many sworn officers are assigned to neighborhood patrol versus desks, special units, or citywide teams — and who has the power to move them? BACKGROUND SOURCES * Long-sought Chicago police staffing study recommends adding more cops, hiring civilians - Chicago Sun-Times [https://chicago.suntimes.com/police-reform/2026/02/12/chicago-police-staffing-hiring-superintendent-larry-snelling-study-matrix-consulting] — Suntimes * Top cop bullish on study calling for hundreds of more officers — but unions, lack of money could stand in way - Chicago Sun-Times [https://chicago.suntimes.com/police-reform/2026/04/01/chicago-police-staffing-study-larry-snelling] — Suntimes * Chicago crime: CPD staffing study finds too many desk jobs - Crain's Chicago Business [https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics-policy/ccb-chicago-crime-fighting-requires-reallocating-resources-study-says-20260401/] — Chicagobusiness * Chicago Police Department - BGA Policy 2026 Budget Snapshot - Better Government Association [https://www.bettergov.org/2025/11/04/chicago-police-department-bga-policy-2026-budget-snapshot/] — Geoffrey Cubbage * Chicago Police Leaders Must Change How Officers Are Deployed in ‘High-Demand’ Areas: Study | Chicago News | WTTW [https://news.wttw.com/2026/02/13/chicago-police-leaders-must-change-how-officers-are-deployed-high-demand-areas-study] — WTTW * The CPD Study on How Officers Are Deployed Required by the Consent Decree is Nearly Complete, Officials Say | Chicago News | WTTW [https://news.wttw.com/2025/10/27/cpd-study-how-officers-are-deployed-required-consent-decree-nearly-complete-officials] — WTTW * Sworn CPD Member Overtime Summary - Chicago Office of Inspector General [https://igchicago.org/information-portal/data-dashboards/sworn-cpd-member-overtime/] — Igchicago * Chicago Police Department Expands Unity of Command and Span of Control Pilot Program Focused on More Efficient Supervision and Stronger Community Trust – Chicago Police Department [https://www.chicagopolice.org/stories/uoc-soc-expansion/] — Chicagopolice 3. Frequency and Reliability [https://equity82.digital.uic.edu/freq_rel.php]  Route 82 in the Context of CTA Standards ## Methods Route 82’s quality of service can be broken down into two parts: (1) the scheduled frequency of service and (2) the actual reliability of service. Standards and definitions vary by agency and are located in the Appendix. Here, the term “frequency” will refer to the scheduled frequency of bus service. Route… 4. Chicago Board of Education | Chicago Public Schools [https://www.cps.edu/about/chicago-board-of-education] — Chicago Public Schools Top of Page [Skip to Content](#main) Main 1. [Home](/) / 2. [About CPS](/about/) 3. Chicago Board of Education # Chicago Board of Education The Chicago Board of Education ("Board") is a hybrid governing body with 11 members appointed by the mayor and 10 elected members. The Board is responsible for the oversight of Chicago Public Schools (CPS). CPS is committed to transparency, and working… Daily TopFive for Chicago Politics and Urbanism Daily. Links above go to the original articles. Follow and rate Chicago Politics and Urbanism Daily on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-chicago-daily-fix/id1895649620] or Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/70Xl3C6mvct6Wif5EAvxay]. Feedback? Email chicago-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com [chicago-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com].

School Board Ballot Crunch, Ethics Board Stall — June 15, 2026

Chicago school board races could shrink to one-candidate contests as petition challenges target more than half the field, while City Hall’s ethics machinery is also stalled by a vacant board chair. IN THIS EPISODE 1. Candidacy challenges in Chicago’s school board elections could leave many voters with one choice - Chalkbeat [https://www.chalkbeat.org/chicago/2026/06/12/petition-challenges-could-leave-many-school-board-races-with-one-candidate/] — Chalkbeat # Candidacy challenges in Chicago’s school board elections could leave many voters with one choice - Chalkbeat Author: By  Reema Amin and Maureen Kelleher  |  June 12, 2026, 10:05pm UTC Published: 2026-06-12T22:05:12.061000+00:00 Source: chalkbeat.org (chalkbeat.org) Language: en ## Story Candidacy challenges in Chicago’s school board elections could leave many voters with one choice -… 2. As Chicago Ethics Board Surpasses 6 Months Without a Leader, Enforcement Actions Stall | Chicago News | WTTW [https://news.wttw.com/2026/01/26/chicago-ethics-board-surpasses-6-months-without-leader-enforcement-actions-stall] — WTTW News   #### [Politics](/politics) ## As Chicago Ethics Board Surpasses 6 Months Without a Leader, Enforcement Actions Stall  [About](/open-gov-report-card/about) [Back to List](/open-gov-report-card/) This agency passes7 of the 11 categories for a score of 64%. ## Chicago City Council Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight The Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight shall have jurisdiction over matters concerning the ethical operation of City government… Daily TopFive for Chicago Politics and Urbanism Daily. Links above go to the original articles. Follow and rate Chicago Politics and Urbanism Daily on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-chicago-daily-fix/id1895649620] or Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/70Xl3C6mvct6Wif5EAvxay]. Feedback? Email chicago-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com [chicago-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com].

Chicago’s Reform Fights: Parking Mandates and Ward Power — June 12, 2026

Chicago housing reform takes aim at parking mandates near transit, while a corruption analysis ties City Council scandals to unchecked aldermanic power — two reminders that process rules can decide who builds, who pays, and who gets heard. IN THIS EPISODE 1. Step Back — Chicago wants to loosen parking rules to make housing easier to build — but if people already feel like parking is scarce, how do parking mandates actually affect rents, construction costs, and who gets to live near transit? BACKGROUND SOURCES * New report: No such thing as free parking - UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies [https://its.ucla.edu/2026/02/19/no-such-thing-as-free-parking/] — UCLA ITS Staff * Right-Sizing Chicago Parking | Center for Neighborhood Technology [https://cnt.org/projects/right-sizing-chicago-parking] — Center for Neighborhood Technology * Chicago Eliminates Parking Requirements, Unlocks Certain Density Bonuses with New Ordinance | Thompson Coburn LLP [https://www.thompsoncoburn.com/insights/chicago-eliminates-parking-requirements-unlocks-certain-density-bonuses-with-new-ordinance/] — Devin Schwent * Ending Parking Mandates To Bend Development's Cost Curve [https://www.housingwire.com/articles/ending-parking-mandates-to-bend-developments-cost-curve/] — Richard Lawson * Denver study shows removing parking requirements results in more affordable housing being built [https://phys.org/news/2025-10-denver-requirements-results-housing-built.html] — Phys * Cutting parking for homes built near transit aims to ease housing crunch - Chicago Sun-Times [https://chicago.suntimes.com/real-estate/2025/08/15/parking-requirements-cta-metra-transit-affordable-housing-crisis] — Suntimes * Cutting parking for homes built near transit aims to ease housing crunch - WBEZ Chicago [https://www.wbez.org/housing/2025/08/15/parking-requirements-cta-metra-transit-affordable-housing-crisis] — Wbez * The Impacts of Minimum Parking Requirements: A Research Synthesis [https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/89289] — Bts 2. City Council Corruption Arises From Unchecked Aldermanic Power - Center for Effective Government [https://effectivegov.uchicago.edu/news/power-begets-corruption-on-the-city-council] — Center for Effective Government # Power Begets Corruption on the City Council **Engagement** Published: Apr 03 2023 ##### Share *“One City, 50 Wards: Does the City That Works Really Work?“, a joint series from*[*Crain’s Chicago Business*](https://www.chicagobusiness.com/)*and the University of Chicago Center for Effective Government, explores the connections between how Chicago’s city government is designed, how it… Daily TopFive for Chicago Politics and Urbanism Daily. Links above go to the original articles. Follow and rate Chicago Politics and Urbanism Daily on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-chicago-daily-fix/id1895649620] or Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/70Xl3C6mvct6Wif5EAvxay]. Feedback? Email chicago-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com [chicago-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com].

Loretto fraud trial stalls as CTA reliability faces a reality check — June 11, 2026

Loretto Hospital’s former executive saw his $300 million fraud trial delayed as prosecutors seek a new indictment, while Chicago transit watchdogs keep pressing beyond CTA schedules toward delivered trips, cancellations and real wait times. IN THIS EPISODE 1. $300 Million Fraud Trial For Ex-Loretto Hospital Executive Delayed [https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/06/10/300-million-fraud-trial-for-ex-loretto-hospital-executive-delayed/] — Block Club Chicago $300 Million Fraud Trial For Ex-Loretto Hospital Executive Delayed Loretto Hospital in Austin on Aug. 18, 2021. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago CHICAGO — The trial for a former Loretto Hospital executive accused of defrauding the federal government of about $300 million has been delayed. Anosh Ahmed, who resigned as CFO and COO from Loretto Hospital after a series of Block Club… 2. Step Back — When the CTA says service is getting better, what should riders actually look at — scheduled trains and buses, delivered trips, wait times, or something else — to know whether the ‘ghost bus’ era is really ending? BACKGROUND SOURCES * Chicago ‘ghost buses’ may be a thing of the past as CTA shares new data with transit apps - WBEZ Chicago [https://www.wbez.org/transportation/2025/08/04/cta-canceled-bus-tracker-apps-ventra-transit] — Wbez * Chicago 'ghost buses' may be a thing of the past as CTA shares new data with transit apps - Chicago Sun-Times [https://chicago.suntimes.com/transportation/2025/08/04/cta-canceled-bus-tracker-apps-ventra-transit] — Suntimes * Regional transit ridership continues to grow in 2025 with 12.3M more rides year-over-year | Regional Transportation Authority [https://www.rtachicago.org/about-rta/press-releases/regional-transit-ridership-continues-to-grow-in-2025-with-12-3m-more-rides-year-over-year] — Regional Transportation Authority * CTA Leaders Tout Ridership Gains, Lower Crime Rates on System | Chicago News | WTTW [https://news.wttw.com/2026/06/10/cta-leaders-tout-ridership-gains-lower-crime-rates-system] — WTTW * What transit riders are telling us: 2025 Customer Satisfaction Survey Results | Regional Transportation Authority [https://www.rtachicago.org/blog/2025/09/18/what-transit-riders-are-telling-us-2025-customer-satisfaction-survey-results] — Regional Transportation Authority 3. [PDF] sixty-day report - on implementation of executive order no. 2019-2 [https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/mayor/Press%20Room/Press%20Releases/2019/August/MLEL_SixtyDay_Rprt_FINAL.pdf] — City of Chicago CITY OF CHICAGO SIXTY-DAY REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 2019-2 LORI E. LIGHTFOOT MAYOR OF CHICAGO 2 C I T Y O F C H I C A G O • S I X T Y D AY R E P O R T To the residents of the City of Chicago: On my first day as Mayor, I signed Executive Order No. 2019-2, which prohibited any City department from deferring to aldermanic prerogative. What this change means as a practical… Daily TopFive for Chicago Politics and Urbanism Daily. Links above go to the original articles. Follow and rate Chicago Politics and Urbanism Daily on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-chicago-daily-fix/id1895649620] or Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/70Xl3C6mvct6Wif5EAvxay]. Feedback? Email chicago-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com [chicago-daily-fix@lanternpodcasts.com].