(The Center Square) – A state representative introduced a measure that would ban single-family-only zoning in Illinois cities.
State Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, posted on X, formerly Twitter, that Chicago and many cities in Illinois have a self-inflicted housing crisis, something his House Bill 4795 aims to address.
“If we are serious about affordably housing more people, we should do away with the barriers that complicate that,” Buckner said .
The measure would create the Single-Family Zoning Ban Act and states that “on and after June 1, 2025, for a zoning unit with a population equal to or greater than 100,000 but less than 500,000, and on and after June 1, 2026, for a zoning unit with a population equal to or greater than 500,000, the zoning unit may not zone area exclusively for single-family residential use.”
Charlie Farner, owner of Tentac Enterprises, a major real estate company in Central Illinois, said Tentac has 10 active subdivisions all over Bloomington-Normal.
“If this goes through and they qualify McLean County, I am concerned they might reverse our single-family zoning on a buildable lot. They might say, ‘No you can’t sell that, you have to replat or redo your subdivision to accommodate this new law,’” said Farner. “That would be horrible.”