Politics & Government
Chicago City Council Zoning Committee Backs Bid To Legalize "Granny Flats" Citywide
"The point of this ordinance is to add gentle density into spaces that already exist to help to address our housing crisis," Lawson said.
July 16, 2025
The City Council Zoning Committee on Tuesday advanced a proposal to legalize so-called "granny flats" citywide, allowing Chicago homeowners to build basement, attic, garage, and coach house apartments on their property without obtaining special permission from their alderperson.
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The 13-7 vote came after supporters of the "additional dwelling unit" ordinance agreed to a number of safeguards aimed at preventing a deluge of such apartments from being built in neighborhoods where most existing housing is single-family homes.
Chicago has largely banned the construction of additional dwelling units since 1957.
