New Illinois legislation to ban single-family zoning in certain areas

Illinois House Bill 4795, introduced by Democrat Kam Buckner, proposes to eliminate single-family-only zoning in eight cities across the state, aligning with similar reforms in Oregon, California, and Washington. This legislation, known as the Single-Family Zoning Ban Act, targets cities with populations between 100,000 and 500,000 by June 2025 and expands to include cities with over 500,000 residents by June 2026.

The bill aims to address housing affordability and density issues by allowing for "middle housing," which includes two-flats, three-flats, or additional dwelling units, though specifics are still under negotiation. Mixed reactions have emerged, with some officials concerned about the potential impact on local zoning authority and the balance of urban development​.

GUESTS:

Norm Van Eeden Petersman

Director of Membership and Development, Strong Towns

Ben LeRoy

Instructor at the College of Law Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Co-Chair, Legislative Committee of the Illinois Chapter of the American Planning Association