We can fix housing in Illinois

On WCPT’s “Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez,” I laid it out plain: Illinois families are being squeezed from every angle. Rents keep climbing. Property taxes feel like a gamble. Wages are stagnant. And everywhere you turn, you’re being nickel and dimed for basic necessities.

Meanwhile, private equity firms and corporate landlords are buying up housing stock, sitting on vacant units, and price gouging us because they can. People are being hit with massive rent increases, and because there are no checks in place at the state level—and our current State Senator is absent—they are allowed to keep doing it.

I refuse to accept that.

At our housing happy hour last week, we did a deep dive on these issues: coach houses, ballooning rents, property taxes, and more. Our neighbors told me the same thing I hear every day: we can’t afford to keep waiting for leadership that never shows up.

On Patti’s show, I shared my vision for the future:

• A predictable formula for property taxes and rent increases so families can plan ahead.

• Making zoning reforms statewide so it’s easier to build coach houses and expand housing options in every neighborhood.

• Real leadership that listens to you, not to consultants or corporate donors.

This campaign is different than most. I’m not sticking a finger to the wind to see what plays best. I’m running a grassroots campaign centered around you—the people who live here, who deserve stability, dignity, and a home they can afford.

🎙️ You can listen to my full conversation with Patti Vasquez here.