The Home Front

By Don DeBat Mayor Brandon Johnson’s “Protecting Renters Ordinance” (PRO) aims to rewrite landlord-tenant rules in Chicago in an effort to supposedly strengthen tenant protections and housing stability. However, the proposed PRO ordinance is “flawed and actually hurts affordability” by adding costs and restrictions for landlords, according to an expert analysis by Illinois Policy Institute, a non-profit taxpayer-research organization. An earlier version of PRO would have requ

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (above) By Don DeBat Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed “Protecting Renters Ordinance” (PRO) actually will push apartment rents higher, critics say. An estimated 54% of Chicago’s residents—some 600,000 families-are apartment renters, according to the City of Chicago. So, critics say Mayor Johnson, who is up for reelection next spring against at least a dozen opponents, is pushing his “PRO” Ordinance because he needs votes. Chicago currently has tw

By Don DeBat Financially squeezed homeowners in Chicago and across Illinois finally can look forward to some relief on soaring property insurance costs thanks to a new consumer-oriented law recently signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The legislation, which took years to pass, hit on a theme Democrats, who control the General Assembly, have been focused on in this election year. It is a top Democratic priority to pass bills that make goods and services more affordable for

(Above) A side-by-side comparison of Wacker House shows recent alterations to the front staircase (left) versus the home’s restored original woodwork in 2001 (right). Click on image to view larger version. (Photos by Don DeBat and Paul McGrath) The 150-year-old Wacker House at 1838 North Lincoln Park West, an iconic Swiss chalet Victorian landmark, is undergoing severe alterations that have drawn outrage from preservationists and neighborhood leaders. By Don DeBat Old Town’s