Daniel Kay Hertz
@danielkayhertz.bsky.social
Personal account. Housing Director at Impact for Equity, a law and policy center in Chicago. Former policy director, Chicago Dept of Housing. Book "The Battle of Lincoln Park" on the origins of gentrification in Chicago.
https://daniel-kay-hertz.ghost.io/
https://daniel-kay-hertz.ghost.io/
Looking at the city code, it's sort of wild how much legislation has passed in the last five years in Chapter 2-44, which covers DOH.
* Annual homelessness report
* 2021 ARO
* Demo surcharge
* Debt and lien waiver
* Loan restructuring
* Volume cap transfer
* Green social housing developer
* Annual homelessness report
* 2021 ARO
* Demo surcharge
* Debt and lien waiver
* Loan restructuring
* Volume cap transfer
* Green social housing developer
November 26, 2025 at 4:07 AM
Looking at the city code, it's sort of wild how much legislation has passed in the last five years in Chapter 2-44, which covers DOH.
* Annual homelessness report
* 2021 ARO
* Demo surcharge
* Debt and lien waiver
* Loan restructuring
* Volume cap transfer
* Green social housing developer
* Annual homelessness report
* 2021 ARO
* Demo surcharge
* Debt and lien waiver
* Loan restructuring
* Volume cap transfer
* Green social housing developer
Hopefully the Internet did not steer me wrong
November 26, 2025 at 1:50 AM
Hopefully the Internet did not steer me wrong
Reposted by Daniel Kay Hertz
20 states sue the Trump administration over cuts to homeless permanent housing funding
20 states sue the Trump administration over cuts to homeless permanent housing funding
A coalition of attorneys general and governors filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration's new conditions and cuts to a Department of Housing and Urban Development permanent housing program.
dlvr.it
November 25, 2025 at 6:40 PM
20 states sue the Trump administration over cuts to homeless permanent housing funding
Reposted by Daniel Kay Hertz
Reposted by Daniel Kay Hertz
that $222,207 is going to be made up by other property taxpayers, probably by the ones whose assessed values did not decline
November 25, 2025 at 8:22 PM
that $222,207 is going to be made up by other property taxpayers, probably by the ones whose assessed values did not decline
Reposted by Daniel Kay Hertz
The last time I wrote about the city’s neighborhoods with the most housing growth (of smaller scale buildings) the top area was Bronzeville
That was in 2020. And I think it’d still be number one in 2025.
That was in 2020. And I think it’d still be number one in 2025.
A new six-flat was permitted on this vacant lot in Bronzeville. buff.ly/LD814sa
November 25, 2025 at 7:19 PM
The last time I wrote about the city’s neighborhoods with the most housing growth (of smaller scale buildings) the top area was Bronzeville
That was in 2020. And I think it’d still be number one in 2025.
That was in 2020. And I think it’d still be number one in 2025.
Reposted by Daniel Kay Hertz
tax bill of this vacant lot in downtown Chicago
2023: $292,593.15
2024: $70,386.00
change: $222,207.15 decrease is a 76% drop
the property owner lost every recent appeal at the Board of Review (the last one was 2020) so this is likely because property values have dropped a lot
2023: $292,593.15
2024: $70,386.00
change: $222,207.15 decrease is a 76% drop
the property owner lost every recent appeal at the Board of Review (the last one was 2020) so this is likely because property values have dropped a lot
November 25, 2025 at 8:20 PM
tax bill of this vacant lot in downtown Chicago
2023: $292,593.15
2024: $70,386.00
change: $222,207.15 decrease is a 76% drop
the property owner lost every recent appeal at the Board of Review (the last one was 2020) so this is likely because property values have dropped a lot
2023: $292,593.15
2024: $70,386.00
change: $222,207.15 decrease is a 76% drop
the property owner lost every recent appeal at the Board of Review (the last one was 2020) so this is likely because property values have dropped a lot
Reposted by Daniel Kay Hertz
My third point is that the large rise in Black unemployment over the past few months is a reminder that aggregate demand has important distributional consequences. Strong labor markets disproportionately help less privileged workers, weaker labor markets disproportionately hurt them.
November 25, 2025 at 9:18 PM
My third point is that the large rise in Black unemployment over the past few months is a reminder that aggregate demand has important distributional consequences. Strong labor markets disproportionately help less privileged workers, weaker labor markets disproportionately hurt them.
Re: Families in cities, as usual my discourse stops at the Chicago city limits, but I was curious how the housing stock had changed in the last ten years. Here's 2015 and 2025 via CMAP.
3+ bed units went from 463k to 499k
3+ bed units went from 463k to 499k
November 25, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Re: Families in cities, as usual my discourse stops at the Chicago city limits, but I was curious how the housing stock had changed in the last ten years. Here's 2015 and 2025 via CMAP.
3+ bed units went from 463k to 499k
3+ bed units went from 463k to 499k
ICYMI: 44 Illinois communities were notified they had so little affordable housing they had to turn in a plan to increase affordability to the state over the summer.
Only a quarter submitted a compliant plan by the deadline.
impactforequity.org/report/many-...
Only a quarter submitted a compliant plan by the deadline.
impactforequity.org/report/many-...
Many High-Cost Suburbs Continue to Violate State Affordable Housing Law | Impact for Equity
Many high-cost suburbs are continuing to violate affordable housing laws passed by the state to combat the housing crisis.
impactforequity.org
November 25, 2025 at 3:47 PM
ICYMI: 44 Illinois communities were notified they had so little affordable housing they had to turn in a plan to increase affordability to the state over the summer.
Only a quarter submitted a compliant plan by the deadline.
impactforequity.org/report/many-...
Only a quarter submitted a compliant plan by the deadline.
impactforequity.org/report/many-...
Bagel metaphors are really getting out of hand www.prrac.org/poppy-seed-b...
Poppy Seed Bagel Progressivism or What We Talk about When We Talk about Affordable Housing Development Costs (May-September, 2025 P&R Journal) - PRRAC — Connecting Research to Advocacy
Link to the full P&R issue
www.prrac.org
November 25, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Bagel metaphors are really getting out of hand www.prrac.org/poppy-seed-b...
Reposted by Daniel Kay Hertz
A difference between robot cars vs. regular cars is that with regular cars, drivers walk to where they park, spreading traffic out.
With robot cars, every event turns city streets into an airport pickup line.
bsky.app/profile/thew...
With robot cars, every event turns city streets into an airport pickup line.
bsky.app/profile/thew...
A reminder that cars aren’t a technology problem. They’re a geometry problem.
Waymo privatized another public street:
Chanel approaching 4th, San Francisco
Possibly queued for a Billie Eilish show at Chase Center ~half mile away.
The light rail train on 4th seen passing in front of this roboherd has more passenger capacity than all of them combined.
OP: .tiktok.renaspam18
Chanel approaching 4th, San Francisco
Possibly queued for a Billie Eilish show at Chase Center ~half mile away.
The light rail train on 4th seen passing in front of this roboherd has more passenger capacity than all of them combined.
OP: .tiktok.renaspam18
November 25, 2025 at 5:04 AM
A difference between robot cars vs. regular cars is that with regular cars, drivers walk to where they park, spreading traffic out.
With robot cars, every event turns city streets into an airport pickup line.
bsky.app/profile/thew...
With robot cars, every event turns city streets into an airport pickup line.
bsky.app/profile/thew...
Reposted by Daniel Kay Hertz
We warned you that self-driving cars would just create self-driving traffic jams, and here they are.
The car industry has no solution to the shortage of space in cities. Public transit, cycling, and walking are all part of the answer, but cars are not.
The car industry has no solution to the shortage of space in cities. Public transit, cycling, and walking are all part of the answer, but cars are not.
Waymo privatized another public street:
Chanel approaching 4th, San Francisco
Possibly queued for a Billie Eilish show at Chase Center ~half mile away.
The light rail train on 4th seen passing in front of this roboherd has more passenger capacity than all of them combined.
OP: .tiktok.renaspam18
Chanel approaching 4th, San Francisco
Possibly queued for a Billie Eilish show at Chase Center ~half mile away.
The light rail train on 4th seen passing in front of this roboherd has more passenger capacity than all of them combined.
OP: .tiktok.renaspam18
November 25, 2025 at 1:07 AM
We warned you that self-driving cars would just create self-driving traffic jams, and here they are.
The car industry has no solution to the shortage of space in cities. Public transit, cycling, and walking are all part of the answer, but cars are not.
The car industry has no solution to the shortage of space in cities. Public transit, cycling, and walking are all part of the answer, but cars are not.
Reposted by Daniel Kay Hertz
Last night on LaSalle St.
November 21, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Last night on LaSalle St.
Reposted by Daniel Kay Hertz
Of all the major cities in the United States, Chicago provides the greatest value, with robust amenities and culture without correlated housing costs. But if Chicago wants to retain that status, some things need to change.
op-ed by me, Stef, and Jasmine (co-leads for @abundanthousingil.bsky.social)
op-ed by me, Stef, and Jasmine (co-leads for @abundanthousingil.bsky.social)
Commentary: Make 2026 the year to achieve real progress on reforming housing affordability
Growth in and around Chicago depends on lawmakers getting it done, write leaders of Abundant Housing Illinois.
www.chicagobusiness.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Of all the major cities in the United States, Chicago provides the greatest value, with robust amenities and culture without correlated housing costs. But if Chicago wants to retain that status, some things need to change.
op-ed by me, Stef, and Jasmine (co-leads for @abundanthousingil.bsky.social)
op-ed by me, Stef, and Jasmine (co-leads for @abundanthousingil.bsky.social)
Reposted by Daniel Kay Hertz
Moments ago: tenants of the South Shore apartment building that federal immigration agents raided at the end of September held a presser to announce they're forming a tenants union.
They're demanding, among other things, sewage removal and heat and electricity restroration.
More updates TK.
They're demanding, among other things, sewage removal and heat and electricity restroration.
More updates TK.
November 24, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Moments ago: tenants of the South Shore apartment building that federal immigration agents raided at the end of September held a presser to announce they're forming a tenants union.
They're demanding, among other things, sewage removal and heat and electricity restroration.
More updates TK.
They're demanding, among other things, sewage removal and heat and electricity restroration.
More updates TK.
New townhomes and older multifamily near the Morton Grove Metra station
November 24, 2025 at 4:00 AM
New townhomes and older multifamily near the Morton Grove Metra station
The biggest rail expansion project in the Chicago area for 30 years is in Indiana
Went to see some of the completed (but not open) Monon Corridor stations. Big video coming right after these finally open sometime in Q1 of 2026!
November 24, 2025 at 3:44 AM
The biggest rail expansion project in the Chicago area for 30 years is in Indiana
Reposted by Daniel Kay Hertz
"What is one to make of the fact that a lot of progress and knowledge is dependent on lunatics endangering themselves? How much poorer would the world be if everybody were, for lack of a better word, normal?" thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/a-first-im...
A First Impression
Meandering museum thoughts
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:55 AM
"What is one to make of the fact that a lot of progress and knowledge is dependent on lunatics endangering themselves? How much poorer would the world be if everybody were, for lack of a better word, normal?" thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/a-first-im...
Reposted by Daniel Kay Hertz
seen on WT Harris in E Charlotte
November 23, 2025 at 3:35 AM
seen on WT Harris in E Charlotte
Wait this is so good? why is this happening?
November 23, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Wait this is so good? why is this happening?
Any recommendations for books about cities not in the Anglo world or Western Europe?
November 23, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Any recommendations for books about cities not in the Anglo world or Western Europe?
Not really my business but the NYCDSA debate over endorsing Chi Osse and its outcome seems like an interesting data point about why that chapter has been so successful
November 23, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Not really my business but the NYCDSA debate over endorsing Chi Osse and its outcome seems like an interesting data point about why that chapter has been so successful
This seems true of a lot of places?
"The United States isn’t a nation like other nations, and it never has been. There is no American ethnicity to back up the state, and there was no such distinctive ethnicity even in 1776, when the U.S. was created."--Gordon Wood www.wsj.com/opinion/why-...
Opinion | Why America Is a ‘Creedal Nation’
The distinguished historian says the U.S. isn’t like other nations and never has been. There is no American ethnicity to back up the state.
www.wsj.com
November 23, 2025 at 2:20 PM
This seems true of a lot of places?
Essentially three of these additions happened: Blue Line to O’Hare, Red Line down the South Side, and Orange Line. But each of them were built in highway medians or industrial corridors, drastically reducing their usefulness and ridership
Check out this 1923 transit plan commissioned by the Chicago City Council. We use to be insanely ambitious. A network like this would've supported Paris-level population densities.
It's never too late!
It's never too late!
November 22, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Essentially three of these additions happened: Blue Line to O’Hare, Red Line down the South Side, and Orange Line. But each of them were built in highway medians or industrial corridors, drastically reducing their usefulness and ridership