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About Shape Chicago

Shape Chicago is a free, independent site about how Chicago builds homes, runs transit and spends its money. It counts what actually happens, explains why, and lets you test a change before City Hall votes on it.

Last updated Nov. 12, 2026

Who makes it

It's built by a Chicago development and housing professional. It started as a side project to answer one question: why doesn't Chicago build more homes? It grew from there.

It's independent and fan-made: not affiliated with the City of Chicago, the CTA, Metra, Pace, any alderperson, campaign or party, or the builder's employer.

What's here

• Simulators for housing, transit, the city budget, pensions and the Bears stadium. They're estimates, not forecasts, and each one lists every assumption it makes.
• What can I build on my lot? Type an address to see what the zoning allows there.
• Grants and help: grants, loans and tax breaks you might qualify for, whether you're buying, own a home, rent or run a business.
• Progress: homes permitted, zoning, rents, transit, streets and city money, counted from public records and updated every day.
• Your ward: how your alderperson voted on housing, every rezoning in the ward and the next chance to weigh in.
• News and Learn: the day's planning stories from local newsrooms, and short explainers.

How the numbers are handled

• Every number links to its source or is labeled as an estimate, with the assumption written out.
• Data comes from public records: the City of Chicago, Cook County, the State of Illinois, the CTA, Metra and federal agencies. Each page shows the date its data runs through.
• Counts are checked against official totals. For example, our permit count matches the Census Bureau's survey within about 1% over 2010–2025.
• Records about elected officials stick to what they did (votes, ordinances they introduced). The site takes no side in elections.

Corrections

Spotted something wrong? Send a note with the page and what's off. We fix errors and list the ones that changed a number here.

• Nov. 12, 2026: City budget decision page: the Mayor's employer head tax is now the city's own estimate, about $114 million a year (it said about $101 million, a later news estimate that is still noted). Bears page: Arlington Park and Hammond are the team's two options, and the stadium bill could get a vote in the fall veto session.

Contact

Email hello@shapechicago.city. To flag a mistake on a page, the Feedback button is quickest: it tells us which page you were on.

Using our work

Charts and figures are free to use and embed with credit. See For media. Terms of use are here.