Friday, February 20, 2026

Pritzker: I'll require Section 8 Housing in every Illinois suburb

DuPage Policy Journal

"Section 8 housing was built near our subdivision in a major California city. What ensued was a massive crime wave in our neighborhood. Homeowners had to to install bars on windows and doors and children were restricted from playing outside. Even adults became fearful of walking their pets after dark." Comment

Democrat Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker will push for state laws that mandate Illinois communities allow building of unlimited “Section 8” and other taxpayer-subsidized apartment units on any residential lot.

Pritzker unveiled his suburban Section 8 plan during his annual State of the State address, which he gave Wednesday.

Taking aim at single family homeowners in the Chicago suburbs, Pritkzer said their “shameful” opposition to taxpayer-subsidized Section 8 apartments are responsible for driving up the cost of Illinois housing.

Community zoning laws “have made it too difficult and costly to build new (Section 8) housing,” Pritzker said, chiding suburban Illinoisans who oppose high-density, subsidized apartments as old-fashioned and behind the “times.”

“Often, the problem is a failure to modernize and keep up with the changing times we live in,” Pritzker said.

Pritzker will seek new laws passed by the Democrat-supermajority Illinois General Assembly that would bar Chicago suburbs from prohibiting the building of apartments on any residential lot. He’ll also seek to give another $100 million to the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), the state agency that subsidizes the building of Section 8 apartments.

Seismically, the governor’s plan would prohibit Illinois suburban communities fom requiring minimum residential lot sizes greater than 2,500 square feet, or 20 percent smaller than a standard 25 by 125 (3,125 square foot) City of Chicago lot.

Pritzker’s plan would mandate that anyone could build a four-flat of Section 8 apartments on any 2,500 square-foot suburban lot in Illinois, a six-flat on a 5,000 square foot lot and an eight-flat on a 7,500 square foot lot.

Elmhurst’s minimum residential lot size is 7,260 to 9,000 square feet. Naperville’s is 10,000 square feet for single family homes.

In Glen Ellyn, minimum lot sizes range from 7,500 to 40,000 square feet, in Hinsdale they are 10,000 to 30,000 square feet and in Wheaton, 6,500 to 43,560 square feet.

In Downers Grove, the minimum lot size for new construction is 10,500 square feet.

“Zoning has been a scam”

The proposal was cheered by -subsidized developers who build and invest in apartments, and by  brokers who will grow their businesses marketing them." . . .

NFL's Chicago Bears May Bolt to Pro-Growth Indiana  

"The move to Indiana is not yet final, but it sure is looking like the Bears are heading for "exit" in the exit, voice, and loyalty framework. How it will affect the team's performance and profits is an open question. Yet if the shock of one more high-profile departure helps motivate those remaining in Illinois to adopt more sensible and pro-growth policies, or elect more sensible and pro-growth politicians, it could eventually be some sort of a win."

That has been the mantra in California for decades. TD 

No comments: