Chicago Mayor’s “Cut-the-Tape” Effort Moving Too Slowly

More than a year after Mayor Brandon Johnson launched his “Cut the Tape” initiative to speed up housing development, affordable developers say the city still isn’t moving fast enough and that the cost of doing business is too high.

The initiative, launched via executive order in December 2023, aimed to reduce bureaucratic delays and cut costs associated with affordable housing production. But while city officials point to administrative wins, such as reducing design review and rezoning timelines, many developers flag little meaningful change in how long it takes to get shovels in the ground, the Chicago Tribune reported.

One example: a 50-unit affordable project and food hall planned in East Garfield Park by the NHP Foundation began seeking financing in mid-2023. That project won’t start construction until mid-2026, nearly three years after applying for tax credits, the developers said.

Chicago Department of Planning Commissioner Ciere Boatright said the Plan Commission has cut review timelines from 135 to 79 days, and her department has accelerated rezoning and land disposition, moving more than 1,000 properties toward new uses. But developers argue that those gains haven’t yet translated into smoother approvals for affordable housing, specifically.

Part of the problem lies with the city’s Architectural Technical Standards, which affordable developers say impose extra burdens beyond code compliance. The housing department is reviewing those standards and expects a revised manual this fall.

Others flagged the city’s economic disclosure statement, which includes questions about past involvement in slavery. The question asks firms to disclose whether they or any predecessor company profited from slavery, a historically oriented clause that developers say is uniquely burdensome due to the time and legal costs of tracing corporate lineage. A mayoral spokesperson defended the question, citing transparency goals.

Members of the mayor’s own housing task force say they appreciate the attention but are still waiting for structural change.

“A year is a long time to be talking about an issue while hundreds of thousands of Chicagoans struggle to pay rent,” said Cat Vielma of Red Stone Equity Partners.

— Judah Duke