Burnett Exit Reignites Council Turf War

Alderman Walter Burnett is stepping down from the Chicago City Council to pursue leadership of the Chicago Housing Authority. With the powerful Zoning Committee once again without a chair, the city is bracing for another political deadlock.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s last effort to fill the post dragged on for 10 months, paralyzed by competing demands from the Black and Latino caucuses and internal friction among City Council progressives. Johnson ultimately turned to Burnett in 2023 only after his initial pick, Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez, failed to get votes despite personal lobbying from the mayor, Crain’s reported.

Now, Johnson is back in the same bind, only with less room for error. Unless he quickly finds a nominee who can lock down support, the committee that handles everything from downtown tower approvals to neighborhood rezonings could be hamstrung again.

Vice Chair Alderman Bennett Lawson led the committee on an interim basis last year but said he won’t do it again unless appointed permanently and allowed to hire his own staff.

That leaves Johnson to navigate a zero-sum power equation: both the Latino and Black caucuses want the seat. Each sees it as a high-stakes lever for their communities.

Black Caucus member Alderman Greg Mitchell has begun gauging support from colleagues. Meanwhile, Latino Caucus Chair Alderman Andre Vasquez is reminding colleagues that Johnson previously promised the role would go to a Latino member, a pledge many still expect him to honor.

The committee’s work affects the city’s housing supply, business permitting and large-scale economic development. With the role vacant, developers and land use attorneys face heightened uncertainty over entitlements and timelines, something that could reverberate across major projects.

Burnett, known as a political bridge-builder and pragmatic dealmaker, was a steadying presence on the committee. His departure not only removes a key Johnson ally from Council but also revives the same unresolved tensions that left the chair vacant for nearly a year.

The CHA board is expected to consider Johnson’s nomination of Burnett on Aug. 4. What happens with zoning may take far longer. Again.

— Judah Duke