The Home Front

By Don DeBat As the old saying goes, everyone suffers two inescapable maladies in life—taxes and death. However, when the problem is Cook County property taxes, the adage should include a few other words: “tax abuse, errors, and bureaucratic red tape” Cook County Treasurer, Maria Pappas (above) According to the latest tax-bill analysis by Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, homeowners face a sharper increase in property taxes this year compared to businesses—a result of home

(Above) Aerial view looking north from Jackson Park toward the Chicago skyline, showcasing the Woodlawn and South Shore neighborhoods. (Photo: Adobe Stock) By Don DeBat With the Obama Presidential Center approaching, a new anti-gentrification ordinance is rattling the real estate industry, pitting landlord rights against city efforts to prevent displacement in Chicago’s lakefront neighborhoods. The threat of rising apartment rents in “Obamaville” and other South Side lakefron