The chances of a new ordinance being passed in the Chicago City Council just increased with calls from several Progressive Aldermen to pass the Bring Chicago Home plan that would substantially increase the transfer tax of real estate sales from $5.25 per $500 of sales value, to $15.25 per $500 of sales value on any sale of a commercial property valued at $1 million or greater. This additional transfer tax money would be used to pay for various measures to alleviate homelessness in the city.

The three new justices appointed to the Supreme Court during the Trump administration have already made a big impact on the country’s legal landscape. In just their first term, the Court overturned Roe v. Wade in their controversial Dobbs decision while also favoring gun access over restrictions, and religious over individual rights in other cases.

By:

Doug Imber
President, Essex Realty Group and RPBG Director

We live in a time of continuous information. Our phones barrage us with emails, texts, messages and news. Our computers, televisions and tablets stream content with body-cam detail. And since bad news sells advertising more easily than good news, we get overwhelmed by the crisis du jour, which frequently shapes our collective attitudes. Of course, there are real issues and bad news, but it’s important to take a step back sometimes and remind ourselves of the larger picture.

By:

Mike Glasser, RPBG President
Fall, 2022

Over one hundred Rogers Park Builders Group members, guests and friends gathered at the Rhapsody Theater on Morse Avenue recently for a night of magic and celebration as we commemorated our 30th anniversary.

This is the video made to commemorate the 30th anniversary of RPBG that highlights the accomplishments of the organization and its commitment to the Rogers Park community over its history.

By:

Steve Cain
Fall, 2022

It’s hard to resist the urge to gaze into my crystal ball (figuratively speaking). I know I should resist the temptation since I am usually wrong anyway. This is an especially dangerous exercise when the future outlook is cloudy. I think we can all agree, we are in one of those moments now.

There are two things weighing heavily on my mind. One is existential; the other, though probably not life-threatening, is no less unsettling. I’ll start with the one that is literally life and death.

Verella Osborne, President, Legal Document Management, Inc.

Fall, 2022

For some time, housing providers in Chicago and Cook County have been required to consider applications that show “source of income” from sources not directly related to wages. However, the recent passage of House Bill 2775 – which extends “source of income” as a protected class across the entire state of Illinois beginning on the first day or January 2023 – will have a much larger impact on housing providers elsewhere in Illinois who will have to adjust their requirements to reflect this new mandate and will no longer be able to reject a potential tenant solely on the basis of their work history or wages.

It seems hard to believe that this year’s Summer Soirée marked the 10th time we have celebrated this annual rite of passage for the Chicago real estate community. The significance of the occasion was matched by the perfect weather with clear skies, comfortable temperatures and a light breeze coming in from Lake Michigan.

You all probably know the game where someone says a word, and you are asked to respond with the first thing that pops into your mind. If I were to say “pothole,” odds are good that your first reaction would not be “art.” But that’s probably because you are not familiar with artist Jim Bachor and his amazing series of pothole mosaics that have been popping up all around Chicago since 2013.

On Sunday afternoon, August 28, five-year-old Devin McGregor was shot in the head while sitting in his father’s car which was parked on the 7600 block of North Paulina just north of Howard Street. The shooter was sitting in the back seat of a Black Hyundai and fired the shots as part of a “drive-by” rampage that began and ended in just moments as the Hyundai shooter opened fire and then quickly sped away.

Perhaps no single industry suffered more from the pandemic than bars and restaurants. Seemingly overnight, these establishments went from hubs of activity to dark and empty spaces where patrons could no longer congregate for fear of spreading the dreaded COVID-19 virus.

Money Magazine just came out with its list of Best Places to Live for 2022-2023 and, guess what? Our own Rogers Park neighborhood took the #5 spot, behind Atlanta, Tempe (AZ), Kirkland (WA), and Raleigh (NC). The first two sentences in the Money Magazine description of the community read:

As reported in Block Club Chicago, renovation of the Rogers Park Metra station at Lunt and Ravenswood Avenues could begin within the next three to five years. The station is one of four (soon to be five) stops within Chicago city limits on the Union Pacific North Line. The line runs between downtown Chicago (Ogilvie Transportation Center) and Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rogers Park is the final stop in Chicago.

On Wednesday, July 20, 2022, the Chicago City Council passed what is popularly referred to as the Connected Communities Ordinance, but what is perhaps better described as a wide-ranging set of alterations to the city’s Zoning Regulations, known as the Municipal Code.

Within weeks of each other, 46th Ward Alderman James Cappelman, 48th Ward Alderman Harry Osterman and 43rd Ward Alderwoman Michele Smith all announced that they would not run for reelection to the Chicago City Council in 2023. For Cappelman and Osterman, there is little doubt that serious challenges from left-leaning opponents played heavily into their decisions.

I figured I’d do something a little different for this Summer 2022 Newsletter. I’m constantly reading stuff in other magazines and newspapers that I think are really interesting, but that can easily be overlooked in our busy lives. So, I figured, why not put some of these random “fun facts” together in one place and see if anyone else finds them interesting? Maybe not – that’s the trouble when you are a geek. You think stuff is cool and everyone else just rolls there eyes. But here goes. Read, enjoy, or send me rotten tomatoes! I’m hoping I’m not the only one who finds this stuff interesting!

Steve Rachman had a lot of words of wisdom for me during our hour-long conversation about his career, his many volunteer activities and his involvement with Rogers Park Builders Group. But my favorite came near the end of our call when he quoted Winston Churchill:

By:

Mike Glasser, RPBG President
Summer, 2022

We all can agree. Homelessness is a national crisis.

By:

Steve Cain
Summer, 2022

Every neighborhood has its quirky landmarks and novelties – Rogers Park more than most. Longtime residents and visitors alike would have a hard time missing the amazing, multi-colored Victorian house at 1525 W. Pratt – popularly known as the “Candyland House.”

This past May, during an early season heatwave, three elderly residents of the James Sneider Apartments died from heat-related causes when temperatures inside the building quickly rose. The building contains ten stories and 120 age-restricted units with a mix of market and restricted rents. The location is 7450 N. Rogers Avenue.