Sol Café Closes after Ten Years on Howard
- Category: Latest News

As reported in Block Club Chicago, Sol Café is closing after ten years of operations at 1615 W. Howard Street. The article cites the lingering fallout from the pandemic as well as recent increases in crime and violence along the Howard Street corridor.
Listen to Mike Glasser on WBEZ
- Category: Latest News
NBOA (and RPBG) President, Mike Glasser, never misses an opportunity to educate the general public about housing issues from the housing provider’s point of view. This is a perspective that often gets overlooked, if not dismissed outright, by a local press that seems more inclined to amplify the viewpoint of tenant groups and downplay our own.
2023 Elections – The Results Are In
- Category: Latest News
We all know that elections have consequences. Now that the Chicago 2023 municipal elections are concluded, it is fair to say that most members of the Rogers Park Builders Group (RPBG) and the Neighborhood Building Owners Alliance (NBOA) believe these consequences will include increased conflict between our members and elected officials and a new round of legislative efforts unfriendly to our businesses.
Carrot and Stick – Part Two
- Category: Latest News

In the last RPBG Newsletter, we looked at the impact of the Illinois Affordable Housing Special Assessment Program (AHSAP) and its impact on housing production in Chicago. The article was, well, kind of long. But, as long as it was, it missed a really important point – one that Stacie Young tried to get me to focus on, but one that I just could not squeeze into what had become a bit of a bear.
Rent Control Fails in Springfield… For Now
- Category: Latest News

Another year, another attempt by the far left wing of the Democratic Party to bring rent control to Illinois. Once again, the ringleader in this effort is State Representative Will Guzzardi (39th District), representing parts of Logan Square and adjacent areas of Chicago’s near Northwest Side.
Florida Combines Workforce Housing Program with Rent Control Ban: Lessons for Illinois?
- Category: Latest News

Bisnow reports that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB 102 into law on March 29, 2023. SB 102 does two things:
Rogers Park Suffers From Too Little New Construction: High Renter Demand Combined With No New Supply Pushes Rogers Park Rents Upwards
- Category: Latest News
- By:
- Doug Imber
President, Essex Realty Group, Inc. and RPBG Director
Like other northside neighborhoods, the Rogers Park apartment market continues to experience strong rental demand. Occupancy rates across most rental properties are in the 95% range, which is generally considered full occupancy by investors.
SF Inclusionary Zoning Requirement Found to be Infeasible
- Category: Latest News

RPBG Member and Principal of JAB Real Estate, Sam Goldman, came across an interesting report from the Office of the Controller / Office of Economic Analysis with the City and County of San Francisco. The report is recently dated: dated March 10, 2023, and it concludes that the current inclusionary housing requirements in San Francisco (city and county borders are the same) are “infeasible.”
Tom Heineman, Director RPBG
- Category: Latest News

Tom’s contribution to the Rogers Park Builders Group over the decades has been huge. His status, until last year, as RPBG Treasurer was much more than just an honorary title. Tom is a numbers guy and has the resume to prove it. He used his financial skills to benefit the organization for many years, often working behind the scenes to ensure that the group was solvent and could pay its bills. Under Tom’s budgetary leadership, RPBG built up a large surplus that has allowed us to significantly increase our charitable work and make an impact on the neighborhood we love so much.
As I See - It Looking Beyond Our City and State For Multifamily Housing Policy Trends
- Category: Latest News
- By:
- Mike Glasser, RPBG President
Spring, 2023
When I first took on the leadership of NBOA in the Fall of 2018, I knew that our organization would be advocating for neighborhood housing providers at the city, county and state levels of government.
Ups and Downs - Spring 2023
- Category: Latest News
- By:
- Steve Cain
Spring, 2023
I’m a big fan of the NPR Politics Podcast. Every Friday, they end their podcast with “Can’t Let It Go,” a roundtable where all the commentators tell listeners what it is that happened during the past week that they just can’t let go of – in politics or in life!