CR_Winter2021_Online

CR 

Chicago REALTOR ® 

Magazine 

What You Need to 

Know About 

Zoning & ADUs 

V o l u m e 31 | Winter 2 0 21 

Meet 

2021-2022 PRESIDENT 

ANTJE 

GEHRKEN 

& THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

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Chicago REALTOR 

The Official Publication of the Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 

‘THE 77’ 

TOUR OF CHICAGO’S 

NEIGHBORHOODS 

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Cover photo by Kirsten Miccoli Photography 

Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine — Volume 31, Winter 2021 

Contents 

FEATURES 

10 Introducing 2022 President Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners 

15 Introducing Our 2021-2022 Board of Directors 

18 Chicago REALTORS ® Take Leadership Positions at Local, State 

and National Levels 

20 Supercharge Your Business Success in 2022 

22 Your Questions, Answered: What You Need to Know About 

Zoning & ADUs 

28 Hall of Fame: James D. Letchinger: Fearless, Proud and 

Driven... Never Satisfied with Average! 

30 'The 77’ Tour of Chicago’s Neighborhoods 

PAGE 

1O 

UPDATES 

25 Association News: Local Hispanic-Owned Business 

Receives COVID-19 Relief Grants, New President’s Award 

Announced During 183 th Inaugural Gala, Michelle Mills 

Clement Named Bisnow Power Woman, CommercialForum 

Launches the New Legal Library Pro 

26 Placemaking Update: New Placemaking Murals in 

Andersonville & Kenwood Honor Local Residents & Heroes 

36 Government Affairs Update 

38 Industry Partners 

40 Foundation Year in Review 

ROGERS 

PARK 

IN EVERY ISSUE 

4 President’s Perspective 

6 From the CEO 

8 Editor’s Note 

9 What's Online 

40 Photo Album 

48 On-Demand Video 

Resource Library 

49 RRES Calendar 

50 The Buzz 

BERWYN 

PAGE 

44 

138 th Inaugural Page 30 

GALA PHOTOS 

' THE 77' TOUR OF 

CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS 

GREEN- 

WOOD 


PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE 

In our lifetimes, we all experience many firsts — some that we 

remember, some that we don’t, and some that change our 

trajectory, because firsts can lead to forevers. 

I remember the first time I attended the Inaugural Gala, I 

was so inspired by the award winners, the programming and the breadth of 

leadership in the room that I proclaimed, out loud, that I would one day be 

the president of the association. For me, that first led to forever. 

Since that first Inaugural, I've become plugged into every aspect of this 

association. I started putting myself out there to meet others and learn 

whatever I could, and I was fortunate to meet peers who reached out their 

hands and encouraged me to get involved. 

I also invited others into the loop, so they could experience their own firsts 

and enhance us all by sharing their experiences, strengths and hope. This 

year, I challenge you all to do the same: reach into the experience of your 

own firsts and recognize those who might be experiencing a first with the 

association or in our industry. Reach out your hand and invite them in. You 

never know who you may inspire on their journey. 

Watch Antje’s speech from 

the 138 th Inaugural Gala. 

This year, I’m thrilled to lead the association through its own firsts as 

we launch a number of tools to help elevate all Chicago REALTORS ® . In 

October, we launched our newest product: Legal Library Pro, which 

streamlines the forms and contracts process for commercial practitioners. 

We’re continuing to update and expand the capabilities of our education 

platform, including making your education options easier to navigate and 

register. And in the spring, we’ll be hosting our first DEI Summit. Make sure 

to look out for more on that coming soon! 

I’m proud to be part of an association that is committed to our success, 

and I hope you are, too. So, go out there and embrace your firsts. Make 

them something you can look back on as part of your real estate journey, 

wherever that may take you. Because, remember: firsts can lead to forevers. 

ANTJE GEHRKEN 

2021-2022 President 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 

4 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine

FROM THE CEO 

We all begin our careers with an idea of where 

we want to go, but we never quite know 

where we’ll end up. Even the best laid plans 

can lead us to unexpected places, with 

unforeseen stops along the road. In the end, with every step we take, we 

end up closer to our goals and closer to where we’re meant to be. 

The same can be said about many industry leaders. During our 138 th 

Inaugural Gala, we inducted James D. Letchinger of JDL Development 

into our Hall of Fame. In his acceptance speech, he discussed his path 

to becoming a developer. He started with very few resources and no 

professional real estate or development experience. Through his desire, 

determination and passion, James founded JDL Development, achieved his 

dreams and made his mark on the Chicago skyline. 

As we begin a new fiscal year, I am inspired by James and the idea that 

we can achieve whatever we put our minds to, no matter what comes our 

way. Look at the last year and a half. We survived, and thrived, through a 

pandemic. That’s proof that we can do anything. 

During the Inaugural Gala, we inducted our new 2022 leadership team. 

Our incredible board of directors consists of dynamic individuals, led by 

President Antje Gehrken and an all-female executive team (President-Elect 

Sarah Ware, Treasurer Drussy Hernandez and Immediate Past President 

Nykea Pippion McGriff), who have already succeeded in their own careers. 

I’m excited to see what we can achieve together in the year to come and the 

positive impact we can make on our city. 

What are you doing to take a step forward? I hope you’re inspired to reach 

your goals in the year ahead. Get involved, take a course or make new 

connections. Do whatever you need to do to make your next move and to 

make your impact. Let’s take a step forward together. 

MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT, fasae, cae, rce 

Chief Executive Officer 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 


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EDITOR’S PICKS 

JESSICA KERN 

Vice President, Communications 

jkern@chicagorealtor.com 

Leaders With Passion 

It was so nice to gather together to install our new leadership in person 

this year. You can check out all the photos on page 44. I was struck by 

something 2022 President Antje Gehrken said in her Inaugural Gala 

speech about how being an outstanding REALTOR ® is a lot like being a 

rockstar. “It’s not the venue but the passion behind what you do.” 

Chicago is our venue, and the passion we, as real estate professionals, 

pour into our communities is the song we play. Looking at the new Board 

of Directors and leadership team is like looking at a stage full of passion. 

On page 14, meet our directors and learn what excites them most in the 

year ahead, and on page 10, meet our rockstar president Antje Gehrken. I 

suspect you’ll see, feel and be inspired by their passion, too. 

The 77 Neighborhood Tour 

Speaking of passionate leaders, on page 30, our Diversity Committee - 

named ‘The 77’ for Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods — give a personal tour of 

their respective communities. It’s a great jumping off point to visit an area 

of the city you may not be familiar with and to share with your clients. 

Stop by a new restaurant or park to kick off your tour. 

Our city is truly a wonderful place to live, work and play! 

New Year Resolutions? 

How will your passion show up in your resolutions for 2022? Here at CAR, 

we are hard at work putting together tools and resources to help you! 

With member benefits like New Broker Training, the commercial real 

estate Legal Library Pro, our Young Professionals’ podcast and beyond, 

we hope you find something to spark a passion. Check out page 20 for 

resources to make 2022 your best year yet. 

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out — I'd love to hear from you. 


Chicago REALTOR ® 

CR Magazine 

2021-2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

PRESIDENT 

Antje Gehrken 

PRESIDENT-ELECT 

Sarah Ware 

TREASURER 

Drussy Hernandez 

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT 

Nykea Pippion McGriff 

DIRECTORS 

Tommy Choi 

Anthony Hardy 

Grace Kaage 

Marki Lemons Ryhal 

Nick Libert 

Lutalo McGee 

Chris Pezza 

Ayoub Rabah 

Tracey Royal 

Jimena Sayavedra 

Rachel Scheid 

Erik Schwab 

Andy Shiparski 

Vicky Silvano 

Erika Villegas 

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 

Michelle Mills Clement, cae 

The Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine is published 

quarterly by the Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 

for its members. Advertising is purchased and does 

not necessarily represent the position of the Chicago 

Association of REALTORS ® . 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 

Michelle Mills Clement, cae 

michelle@chicagorealtor.com 

EDITOR 

Jessica Kern 

jkern@chicagorealtor.com 

MANAGING EDITOR 

Maria Dickman 

mdickman@chicagorealtor.com 

ART DIRECTOR 

Jim August 

jaugust@chicagorealtor.com 

For advertising information please contact 

Mary Beth Durkin 

at (312) 214-5530 or ads@chicagorealtor.com 

C.A.R. LOCATIONS 

CAR Central: 430 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 800 


Ph: (312) 803-4900 

Fax: (312) 803-4905 

CAR West: 6017 W. 26 th Street 

Cicero, IL 60804 

Ph: (312) 803-4900 

www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 

NOTICE TO MEMBERS 

Under long established policy of this Association, the Illinois Association of 

REALTORS ® and the National Association of REALTORS ® : 

1. The broker’s compensation for services rendered in respect to any 

listing is solely a matter of negotiation between the broker and his or her 

client, and is not fixed, controlled, recommended or maintained by any 

persons not party to the listing agreement. 

2. The compensation paid by the listing broker to a cooperating broker 

in respect to any listing is established by the listing broker and is not 

fixed, controlled, recommended or maintained by any persons other 

than the listing broker. 

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& CHECK OUT ALL THE PHOTOS 

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CHICAGO-SPECIFIC RESOURCES FOR 

HOMEBUYERS, SELLERS & OWNERS 

Find us on… 

What's online at 

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Podcast 

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SOCIAL MEDIA ASSETS 

ON-DEMAND PLAYBACK 

OF OUR WEBINAR EVENTS 

BLOGS 

138 TH INAUGURAL GALA 

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BUYSELLOWNCHICAGO.COM 

The latest news you need to know 

Meet the CAR Volunteers 

www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 

9

Introducing 2022 President 

Antje 

GEHRKEN 

A.R.E. PARTNERS 

“Hey guys. It’s me!” 2022 President Antje Gehrken’s 

signature greeting gives immediate clues as to her 

approachable leadership style. 

A lifelong Chicagoan, Antje’s path to real estate was not, by definition, “traditional.” 

But, as with many things, looking back on her winding career, this second act has 

distinct roots in everything else she’s done. 

“I knew how to do the train when I was really young,” she said. “Starting when I was 

7, I loved looking at the CTA map and seeing where the lines ran. I would take the 

Ravenswood line downtown, or transfer to get to Comiskey Park, the beach or the 

Hancock Building. I had a love for Chicago and an understanding of its vastness from 

a very young age.” This knowledge would eventually translate and inform her real 

estate business, covering similar expansive ground and representing various projects 

throughout the Chicagoland area. 

The second oldest of five kids (and the oldest daughter), Antje carried a lot of 

responsibility from a young age. “My parents were immigrants, and started with 

nothing, but they worked really hard. English was not their first language,” she said. 

They lived in tiny, two-bedroom apartments in Lincoln Square and Albany Park. “My 

parents had to lie about how many kids lived there to secure the lease, and we had 

to be careful to make sure we didn’t get thrown out,” she said. “By the time I got to 

college, we bought the two flat we’d been living in in West Rogers Park, and after 

my father rehabbed the basement, we each got our own bedroom.” Because of her 

childhood, she was exposed to the challenges — and rewards — of real estate and 

housing at a young age. 

p h o t o s b y KIRSTEN MICCOLI PHOTOGRAPHY 



But before real estate came music. “Songs 

are stories — stories about love, life, 

challenges, hopes,” she said. “Turns out, 

that's what real estate is about too. Each 

client has their own story and each sale is 

like its own song.” 

Antje composed her first song at age 12, 

a hobby that, while briefly interrupted 

by a brief stint as a journalism major at 

Northwestern University, became her 

professional calling, attending Columbia 

College for undergrad. 

She started teaching at Columbia 

following graduation while working 

on her masters. “I had to be superhardcore, 

because I was the same age 

as my students!” she said. “I taught 

there six years. I taught almost 

every course related to composition, 

songwriting, theory and performance. 

I learned a lot, and I only left there 

because I needed a career portfolio to 

get the better jobs.” 

Her career path next took her to the iconic 

Old Town School of Folk Music, where 

she worked as an instructor, developing 

and teaching their first ever year-long 

songwriting curriculum. “Like real estate 

and songwriting, teaching can be very 

personal,” Antje said. She remains in 

touch with many of her old students to 

this day — a then-building block that 

now helps enhance and inform her client 

relationships in real estate. 

She released her first solo album on Old 

Town School of Folk Music’s concert 

stage and toured around the country in a 

tour bus owned by Willie Nelson, playing 

festivals and stages of all sizes. 

However, three days before signing her 

major record contract, Antje walked away. 

“I lost my passion,” she said. “It’s important 

to be authentic, and being authentic 

wasn’t possible, which was painful.” 

Enter: chapter two — real estate. 

While working on her music career, Antje 

and her husband Andy had started buying 

real estate together. “My father had 

given me some old real estate cassette 

tapes that had planted the seed about 

investing,” she said. “A great opportunity 

presented itself, and we jumped in. We did 

a lot of work ourselves, first getting the 

property ready for renters, then becoming 

landlords and managing our units. It was a 

real DIY experience — which has only fed 

into my now career as a REALTOR ® .” 

Her real estate origins include many 

aspects of the industry: rehabbing 

units, valuing, buying and selling 

properties, managing investments, 

developing condos, being a landlord. 

Her understanding of the value of home 

beyond the dollar amount has been critical 

to this chapter, as she can bring all those 

experiences to the table — whether in the 

board room, in a negotiation on behalf of 

her clients or mentoring the brokers at 

A.R.E. Partners. 


At the height of the market crash in the 

late 2000s, another opportunity arose 

that required a licensed broker — so she 

took the challenge, getting her license to 

expand her real estate expertise and serve 

the needs of her bank clients. 

In real estate, she found a place where 

authenticity has been key to her success 

(in stark contrast to the music industry). 

“Whatever the scenario — whether I’m 

at home with my family or at a listing 

appointment, on the tennis court, in 

the boardroom, dealing with tenants, 

mentoring the A.R.E. brokers, in a 

receivership hearing — I am, at the core, 

the same person.” 

And, in real estate, she found her passion 

again. “In real estate, I found a passion that 

I didn’t know existed, one that drew from 

the same well of experiences I had in my 

previous lives.” 

One of the many things you will hear her 

talk about is how “firsts lead to forevers.” 

Attending her first CAR Inaugural Gala set 

her career on a different course — one that 

leads directly to where we are today. 

“I didn’t understand the full scope of 

what being a REALTOR ® meant, or what 

the association did for its members,” she 

said. “I was so inspired by being in that 

room that I proclaimed (out loud), ‘I will 

one day be the president of the Chicago 

Association of REALTORS ® .’” 

After that, she started showing up for 

everything. “When it was a first for me, I 

would put myself out there,” she said. “And 

when it was no longer a first, I would reach 

out to others, invite them and include 

them — just like others did for me.” 

“Once I was brought in, it changed 

everything,” she said. “I don’t do things if I 

don’t love them. But I also don’t just say no 

a lot, because when an opportunity arises, 

you have to consider it.” 

This philosophy is how she ended up with 

her first investment property, getting 

her broker’s license and starting her 

ascension to leadership. At the local level, 

she chaired the association’s Professional 

Development committee for several years 

and served on the CommercialForum 

committee. She also got involved at 

state and nationals, attending Capitol 

Conference in Springfield along with the 

Legislative Meetings in Washington, D.C. 

“It’s so awesome to be a Chicago 

REALTOR ® ,” Antje said. “We should be 

shouting it from the rooftops. There’s a 

difference between being a broker and 

being a REALTOR ® . I believe strongly 

that Chicago REALTORS ® are at the 

forefront of so many elements impacting 

our clients. The more we continue to 

enhance our REALTORS ® ’ development 

and education, the better we can serve 

our neighborhoods.” 

One area she plans to focus on this year: 

bridging commercial and residential to 

broaden the definition of one’s niche. 

“I practice commercial because it feeds 

my head, and residential because it feeds 

my heart,” she said. “I thrive when I’m 

doing different things — and I’m always 

learning. My niche is super wide because 

it all feeds different parts of who I am and 

what I do — and I’m able to share those 

experiences with others, including my 

brokers at A.R.E. Partners and now all of 

Chicago REALTORS ® .” 

Building authentic relationships, mentorship 

opportunities and engagement are big 

for her — and a reason her approachable 

leadership style works so well (well-honed 

by her teaching career and experience in 

the music industry). “To give others an 

opportunity to co-list a commercial listing 

or work on properties they have interest in, 

but never had the opportunity to pursue, 

and to help their own development in 

different ways, including becoming more 

involved with the REALTORS ® — that’s an 

incredible feeling,” she said. “I get excited 

to listen to other people’s stories and help 

them find their own strengths. 

Another of her goals this year is to 

widen opportunities to engage with the 

association and bring in more fresh faces — 

just like hers, once upon a time. “We have 

over 18,000 members, but only 400 or so 

active committee volunteers each year,” 

she said. “We need more opportunities 

for engagement, more reaching out our 

hands to bring others in. When I got more 

involved, I became a better REALTOR ® . 

And, when we’re better REALTORS ® , we 

all benefit.” 

Hearing so many of Antje’s stories and 

observing the way she interacts with all 

REALTORS ® — those new to the industry 

and veterans — it’s not hard to see how her 

songwriting and performance career have 

translated to effective leadership: attention 

to detail, creative problem solving and 

relationship building all fuel her intense 

focus on those she encounters, getting to 

the heart and soul of what drives them and 

translating that into association programs 

and initiatives so that we can all be better. 

“It doesn’t matter if you are standing on 

a stage in front of thousands of people 

or winning the contract on a multiple 

offer scenario in a seller’s market,” Antje 

said. “It’s not the venue but the passion 

behind what you do. It’s about how you 

perform. Helping people achieve the 

American dream of home and property 

ownership? That’s a hell of a lot like 

being a rock star.” 


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14 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine 

Scan with your smartphone camera!

INTRODUCING OUR 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 


TOMMY 

CHOI 

Keller Williams ONEChicago 

ANTJE 

GEHRKEN 

A.R.E. Partners 

ANTHONY 

HARDY 

Keller Williams ONEChicago 

DRUSSY 

HERNANDEZ 


GRACE 

KAAGE 

COMPASS 

If you could share one piece of 

advice with a fellow REALTOR ® , 

what would it be? 

The direction you travel in is 

much more important than your 

speed! 

What is your favorite restaurant 

in Chicago? 

Manny’s Cafeteria and 

Delicatessen 

What are you most excited to work 

on in the year ahead? 

Getting more of our great 

members involved with the 

association. 

If someone is visiting Chicago 

for the first time, what is the one 

place they must visit? 

Drive the outer drive and go to 

the lakefront at one, or many, of 

its excellent spots. 

What are you most excited to 

work on in the year ahead? 

Impacting diversity in commercial 

real estate. 




They have to catch a game at 

Wrigley Field. 




Remember that real estate is a 

business. Work on a business 

plan that you review on a regular 

basis to measure your successes 

and keep yourself accountable. 


in Chicago? 

I have a few but Eris Brewery 

and Cider House has great food, 

wonderful ambiance and décor 

and plenty of outdoor seating for 

those of us who enjoy it. I love 

supporting the first femaleowned 

brewery in Chicago! 




Do the right thing and it will all 

work out. 


in Chicago? 

Gibson's on Rush outside with 

a slightly dirty martini and blue 

cheese olives. 

2021-2022 Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ® 

CHRIS 

PEZZA 

The Apartment Source 

AYOUB 

RABAH 


TRACEY 

ROYAL 


JIMENA 

SAYAVEDRA 

Newmark 

RACHEL 

SCHEID 




Protecting the private property 

rights of our clients will always be 

my main focus. 




Chicago has so many amazing 

restaurants, night clubs, museums 

and venues, but I'd say chill out on 

Northerly Island and take in the 

lake air and the amazing views! 



Being an advocate for all our 

membership and providing 

a voice to the public that 

continuously promotes 

homeownership. 


in Chicago? 

Nobu 




Respect this business as a 

career and not something to do 

on the side. Give it the attention 

and skillset it deserves. 


in Chicago? 

RPM 



The opportunity to interact with 

a diverse group of real estate 

professionals and the chance to 

integrate my work in commercial 

real estate with the real estate 

community in Chicago. 




The lakefront! 




Root yourself in your why and let 

that lead you and your business 

into the success you want to see. 


in Chicago? 

It's a tie between Beatrix in 

Fulton Market and Warbler 

in Lincoln Square! The food is 

fantastic, the vibes are chill and 

the staff is superb! 


MARKI 

LEMONS 

RYHAL 

EXIT Strategy Realty 




Commit to being a lifelong 

learner. 


in Chicago? 

Lem's Bar-B-Q 

NICK 

LIBERT 

EXIT Strategy Realty 




My biggest piece of advice is 

to engage with your fellow 

REALTORS ® and the Chicago 

Association of REALTORS ® . 

This is truly a mastermind of 

incredible talent and diversity 

of both knowledge and 

backgrounds! 




An architectural tour on the 

Chicago River is a must-do. Take 

a guided tour with a local expert 

who will narrate the experience 

for you firsthand. 

LUTALO 

McGEE 

Ani Real Estate 



I am interested in continuing the 

work CAR has been doing in the 

area of inclusion and diversity, 

especially around marginalized 

groups in commercial real estate. 

Our association is much stronger 

when voices and faces from 

various groups are represented 

and barriers are torn down. 

Recent leadership has been great 

in this area, and I want to do my 

part to continue that work. 




I think everyone has to visit Navy 

Pier when they come to Chicago. 

Take a walk and look back on our 

skyline. 

MICHELLE 

MILLS 

CLEMENT 

Chicago Association 

of REALTORS ® 




The Chicago Riverwalk! It’s 

beautiful, displays the stunning 

Chicago architecture and has 

great water views. The buildings 

reflecting off the river are really 

cool to see first thing in the 

morning. All of the restaurants and 

seating areas are really enjoyable, 

as well. 



We’ll be having our first ever 

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) 

Summit! I can’t wait to showcase 

what we’ve been doing in a 

practical way. Also, I’m excited to 

enhance our new Legal Library 

platform for our commercial 

brokers, which is going to be a 

game-changer. We’ve worked on 

this for three years, so to finally be 

able to launch it and get feedback 

is really exciting. 

NYKEA 

PIPPION 

McGRIFF 





Surround yourself with people 

who will cheer you on and give 

you constructive feedback. 




Museum of Science and Industry. 

ERIK 

SCHWAB 

Corcoran Urban Real Estate 

ANDY 

SHIPARSKI 

COMPASS 

VICKY 

SILVANO 

Baird and Warner 

ERIKA 

VILLEGAS 

RE/MAX in the Village 

SARAH 

WARE 

Ware Realty Group 




Be proud of what you do. The 

real estate industry is very 

complex, and REALTORS ® 

provide an incredibly valuable 

service to clients navigating the 

industry. Don’t ever discount 

that, or yourself. 




I’d tell them downtown is great 

but pick any other neighborhood 

and check it out as well. It’s the 

individuality and complex mix of 

neighborhoods that make this city 

the best in the US. 



We are in the middle of one 

of the most crucial times in 

our history with social and 

economic challenges. We have 

an opportunity to correct the 

wrongs of the past and create 

a better future for all who call 

Chicago home. Working with 

such a diverse and unified 

leadership team will empower 

forward movement, ultimately 

impacting the 77 neighborhoods 

that comprise this amazing city. 

We must continue our efforts by 

investing in and building all our 

communities equally. 


in Chicago? 

La Scarola 




Persistence and consistency 

are keys to a successful career. 

There'll be ups and downs along 

your real estate journey. Don’t 

quit and never give up! 


in Chicago? 

Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba 




Work smarter, not harder. 




Go enjoy the Riverwalk. 



Getting more members engaged 

in committees and at events 

since our membership is steadily 

growing. I’m looking forward to 

making more connections across 

the city. 


in Chicago? 

I have quite a few favorites 

but since breakfast is my 

favorite meal, I am going with a 

neighborhood favorite: 5 Loaves. 


Chicago REALTORS ® 

Take 

Leadership Positions at Local, 

State and National Levels 

We would like to congratulate our members who have been appointed to 2021-2022 local, state and national 

committees*. Congratulations! Thank you for serving our industry and representing Chicago well. 

NATIONAL LEADERSHIP 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ® DIRECTORS 

TOMMY 

CHOI 

ANTJE 

GEHRKEN 

MARKI 

LEMONS 

RYHAL 

ZEKE 

MORRIS 

NYKEA 

PIPPION 

McGRIFF 

TRACEY 

ROYAL 

MATT 

SILVER 

REBECCA 

THOMSON 

SARAH 

WARE 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ® CHAIRS & VICE CHAIRS 

MABÉL 

GUZMÁN 

CHAIR 

Insurance 

Committee 

REBECCA 

THOMSON 

CHAIR 

Strategic Thinking 

Advisory 

Committee, 

& CHAIR 

Strategic Thinking 

Forum 

SARAH 

WARE 

CHAIR 

Smart Growth 

Advisory Board 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ® COMMITTEE MEMBER APPOINTMENTS 

AEC Recommendations and Recognition 


JAKEEVA LEE 

Broker Engagement Council 

JOE CASTILLO 

DRUSSY HERNANDEZ 

Business Issues Policy Committee 

NYKEA PIPPION McGRIFF 

CIPS Advisory Board 

EFTY GARBA 

Commercial Committee 

ANTJE GEHRKEN 

MOSES HALL 

Commercial Federal Policy Committee 

KRISTOPHER J. ANDERSON 

ADRIANN MURAWSKI 

Consumer Advisory Outreach 


DAN WAGNER 

Consumer Communications Committee 

JORDAN PYLE 

Conventional Financing & Policy Committee 

TRACEY ROYAL 

Diversity Committee 

MEGAN OSWALD 

Executive Committee 

GEOFFREY KASSELMAN 

Fair Housing Policy Committee 

MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT 

ZEKE MORRIS 

VICKY SILVANO 

Federal Financing & Housing Policy 

Committee 

BRETT DECKER 

Federal Technology Policy Committee 

SHAUN PINKSTON 

Finance Committee 

REBECCA THOMSON 

Global Alliances Advisory Board 

JAMES KINNEY 

VICKY SILVANO 

NANCY SUVARNAMANI 

Global Business and Alliance Committee 

MAURICE HAMPTON 

HOLLIS HIMMELMAN 


Housing Opportunity Committee 

GASPAR FLORES JR. 

Insurance Committee 

MATT FARRELL 

Member Communications Committee 

JESSICA KERN 

Membership Policy and Board Jurisdiction 

Committee 

ZACK WAHLQUIST 

MLS Technology and Emerging Issues 


LYLE HARLOW 

Professional Development Committee 

MARKI LEMONS RYHAL 

Professional Standards Committee 

LASHANDRIA SANDERSON 

Public Policy Coordinating Committee 

MABÉL GUZMÁN 

DAN WAGNER 

Real Property Operations Committee 

HUGH RIDER 

Real Property Valuation Committee 

NYKEA PIPPION MCGRIFF 

LASHANDRIA SANDERSON 

REALTOR ® Party Member 

Involvement Committee 

ERIKA VILLEGAS 

RPAC Participation Council 

TOMMY CHOI 

RPAC Trustees Fundraising Committee 

MATT SILVER 

State and Local Issues Mobilization 

Support Committee 

JOHN C. KMIECIK 

Sustainability Advisory Group 



Young Professionals Network 


JORDAN PYLE 

*NAR and Illinois REALTORS ® involvement is only reflective of primary members. CAR involvement reflects both secondary and primary members. 


ILLINOIS REALTORS ® LEADERSHIP 

ZEKE MORRIS 

PRESIDENT 

MATT SILVER 

TREASURER 

ILLINOIS REALTORS ® DIRECTORS 

TOMMY 

CHOI 

GASPAR 

FLORES JR. 

MAURICE 

HAMPTON 

CHRIS 

PEZZA 

NYKEA 

PIPPION 

McGRIFF 

TRACEY 

ROYAL 

NANCY 

SUVARNAMANI 

REBECCA 

THOMSON 

ILLINOIS REALTORS ® CHAIRS & VICE CHAIRS 

SONIA 

ANAYA 

CHAIR 

RPAC 

Fundraising 

Working Group 

MARIO 

DILORENZO 

CHAIR 

Professional 

Standards 

Committee 

ANTJE 

GEHRKEN 

VICE CHAIR 

Commercial 

and Property 

Management 

Committee 

ALESSANDRA 

HALLIBURTON 

CHAIR 

Commercial 

and Property 

Management 

Committee 

ANTONIA 

MILLS 

CHAIR 

REALTORS ® 

Political 

Involvement 

Work Group 

ZEKE 

MORRIS 

CHAIR 

Executive 

Committee 

TRACEY 

ROYAL 

VICE CHAIR 

Public Policy 

Forum 

MATT 

SILVER 

CHAIR 

Chair, Finance 

Committee, & 

VICE CHAIR, 

Illinois REALTORS ® 

Plaza Committee 

ILLINOIS REALTORS ® COMMITTEE MEMBER APPOINTMENTS 

Advisory Council 

JAMES KINNEY 


GERALD PERLOW 

LEO SHERIDAN 

ROBERT ZORETICH 

Affordable Housing Community 

Involvement Committee 

TOMMIE COWANS 

ALICE WEINERT 

Association Executives Committee 


Audit Committee 

MATT SILVER 

Commercial and Property 

Management Committee 

JESSE COLEMAN 

CHRIS PEZZA 


Conference and Expo 

Working Group 

ZACK WAHLQUIST 

ALICE WEINERT 

Ethics Citation Panel 

MARIO DILORENZO 

SAM POWELL 

Executive Committee 

MATT SILVER 

Finance Committee 

TOMMY CHOI 



TRACEY ROYAL 

Grievance Committee 



Illinois General Assembly and 

Statewide IE Committee 

ZEKE MORRIS 

MATT SILVER 

Illinois Local Government 

IE Committee 


HUGH RIDER 

Leadership Development 

Working Group 


TRACEY ROYAL 

SARAH WARE 

Local Government Affairs 

Committee 

ALESSANDRA HALLIBURTON 

Nominating Committee 



MEGAN OSWALD 

NYKEA PIPPION McGRIFF 

Performance/Compensation 

Review Committee 

ZEKE MORRIS 

MATT SILVER 

Policy and Programs Group 

JAZMINE DELEON 

CYNTHIA DYCE 

EVELYN FRED 

EFTY GARBA 

ANTJE GEHRKEN 


DAVID HAQQ 

DOMINIQUE JOHNSON 

RODESSA JOINER 

BRITTANY MIDDLEBROOKS 

ATARAH MOORE 

BABAJIDE OKECHUKWU 


ALYSIA RICHARDS 

AYANNA SAVAGE 

VICKY SILVANO 

MATOYA TOLLIVER-BROWN 

SARAH WARE 

ALICE WEINERT 

BRITTANY WILLIS 

LASHAWN WINFIELD 

Professional Standards Committee 

DIONE BRANCH 

TOMMIE COWANS 




JOCELYN JOHNSON 

BARBARA NOVAK 

WILFREDO NUNEZ 

PARKER PEARSON 


SAM POWELL 

HUGO RODRIGUEZ 

TRACEY ROYAL 

JOAN SANDRIK 

MARGIE SMIGEL 


SARAH WARE 

REALTOR ® of the Year 

Working Group 



REALTORS ® Political Involvement 

Working Group 

BRETT DECKER 


RACHEL SCHEID 

RPAC Fundraising Working Group 


EVELYN FRED 


RACHEL SCHEID 

VICKY SILVANO 

RPAC Trustees 

SONIA ANAYA 

TOMMY CHOI 

SARA WARE 

Strategic Planning Committee 

TOMMY CHOI 



ZEKE MORRIS 

NAJA MORRIS 

MEGAN OSWALD 

MATT SILVER 

SARAH WARE 

YPN ADVISORY GROUP 

JESSE COLEMAN 

CHRIS PEZZA 

ALICE WEINERT 

*NAR and Illinois REALTORS ® involvement is only reflective of primary members. CAR involvement reflects both secondary and primary members. 

CHICAGO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ® LEADERSHIP 

CAR CHAIRS AND VICE CHAIRS 

SHARON 

AGUILERA 

CHAIR 

Golf Outing 

Committee 

LASHAUN DEVON SHEILA GREG HIPOLITO 

BROWN- CHANDLER DANTZLER DESMOND GARCIA 

GLENN CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR CO-CHAIR 

VICE CHAIR 

YPN Advisory Professional Grievance Casino Royale 

Professional 

Board 

Standards Committee Advisory 

Development 

Committee 

Committee 

Committee 

ANTJE 

GEHRKEN 

CHAIR 

Executive 

Committee 

JUDY 

GIBBONS 

CO-CHAIR 

Sales Awards 

Advisory Group 

CARLAS 

GILBERT 

VICE CHAIR 

Grievance 

Committee 

JOANNE 

GROSS 

CHAIR 

Citation 

Committee 

MABÉL 

GUZMÁN 

CHAIR 

The 77 

AMY 

HALL 

VICE CHAIR 

CommercialForum 

LYLE 

HARLOW 

CHAIR 

Audit 

Committee 

LINDA 

HATTAR 

VICE CHAIR 

Global 

Real Estate 

Council 

TAMMY 

HAJJAR 

MILLER 

CO-CHAIR 

Sales Awards 

Advisory 

Committee 

DRUSSY 

HERNANDEZ 

CHAIR 

Finance 

Committee 

KIM 

KERBIS 

VICE CHAIR 

Forms & 

Contracts 

Committee 

MARKI 

LEMONS 

RYHAL 

CO-CHAIR Inaugural 

Gala Advisory Group, 

& VICE CHAIR, 

The 77 

AARON 

MASLIANSKY 

CHAIR 

Global 

Real Estate 

Council 

PHOTO 

NOT 

AVAILABLE 

ANTONIA 

MILLS 

VICE CHAIR 

Public Policy 

Coordinating 

Committee 

KIM 

OFFORD 

CHAIR 

Professional 

Development 

Committee 

SEAN 

OVERTON 

VICE CHAIR 

Property 

Management 

Forum 

CHRIS 

PEZZA 

CHAIR 

Property 

Management 

Forum 

JIM 

ROTH 

VICE CHAIR 

Professional 

Standards 

Committee 

TRACEY 

ROYAL 

VICE CHAIR 

RPAC 

Fundraising 

Work Group 

LINDA 

SANCHEZ 

VICE CHAIR 

Sustainability 

Work Group 

JIMENA 

SAYAVEDRA 

CHAIR 

CommercialForum 

Committee 

RACHEL 

SCHEID 

CHAIR 

CAR Foundation 

Board of 

Trustees 

ERIK 

SCHWAB 

CHAIR 

Public Policy 

Coordinating 

Committee 

VICKY 

SILVANO 

CHAIR 

RPAC 

Fundraising 

Work Group 

SERA 

SOUSLEY 

CHAIR 

Sustainability 

Work Group 

AMIR 

SYED 

CO-CHAIR 

Inaugural Gala 


RYAN 

TEMPLETON 

VICE CHAIR 

Golf Outing 

Committee 

REBECCA 

THOMSON 

CO-CHAIR 

Casino Royale 


SARAH 

WARE 

CHAIR 

CARPAC 

ALICE 

WEINERT 

CHAIR 

Member Care 

Task Force 

KEISHA 

WILLIAMS 

VICE CHAIR 

Member Care 

Task Force 

RICHARD 

WILLIAMS 

CHAIR 

Forms & 

Contracts 

Committee 


SUPERCHARGE YOUR 

BUSINESS IN 2022 

With CAR Member Benefits 

Learn Something New 

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business knowledge. All our virtual 

webinars are available to watch 

anytime, anywhere. For a full list of 

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over 100 events each year, and, through your 

membership, you receive free or discounted 

attendance to each one. 

Don’t Miss: 

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Visit ChicagoREALTOR.com/events for a list of all upcoming events. 

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Pick a topic you’re passionate about and get involved! When you become a member of 

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Your Questions, Answered: 

What You Need to 

Know About Zoning 

& ADUs 

As of May 2021, the City 

of Chicago began issuing 

permits for Accessory/ 

Additional Dwelling Units 

(ADUs), reversing a 1957 law that previously 

deemed them illegal. What does this mean 

for you and your clients and why is it such 

a big deal? First, we’ll review zoning basics, 

which will help put the details of the new 

ADU law into context. 

WHAT IS ZONING & WHY DOES 

IT MATTER? 

Illinois REALTORS ® defines zoning as “a form of government 

regulation which determines how private property can be used 

by owners.” These regulations are reviewed and enforced by 

the Zoning Ordinance Administration Division, which is based 

out of the Department of Planning and Development. 

Why does zoning exist? And why are there rules about 

it? Zoning regulations are prescribed with individual and 

community quality of life in mind. They take the exciting world 

of property ownership and urban development and implement 

limitations — called “use restrictions” — so property owners 

can be good neighbors not only to each other, but also to the 

greater community. 

Watch our Zoning 101 and ADUs in Chicago event 

on-demand anytime at ChicagoREALTOR.com . 

Zones are broken into categories, or “districts;” the three most 

common are residential, commercial and industrial. Each zoning 

district has differing use restrictions which specify features, such 

as maximum square footage, building height, vehicular use area 

(think parking lots or spaces), exterior signage limitations, lot 

setbacks and more. 

When explaining to your clients what zoning is, where a 

property may fall and why this affects your clients’ renovation 

or development plans, it may be helpful to use examples. 


Here’s one for you: if a property owner in a residential zone 

wants to renovate their new home so it has a larger front yard, 

they must first consult the city’s zoning guidelines regarding lot 

setbacks in their zone. If their desired setback does not fit within 

the zone’s restrictions, they must adjust the renovation to fit 

within the limitations, or they need to apply for a zoning variance. 

It is crucial you and your clients are mindful of zoning use 

restrictions when purchasing, renovating or developing 

real estate. Zoning violations are subject to large fines and 

legal action. 

WHERE CAN I FIND ZONING 

DISTRICTS & REGULATIONS? 

Title 17 of Chicago’s Municipal Code is broken down into 

chapters detailing the different zoning districts and regulations. 

If you’d prefer to look up the zone of a specific area or lot, the 

city’s website also has an interactive, color-coded zoning map. 

Searchable via address, portions of addresses, address ranges, 

pin numbers and even intersecting streets, set aside time 

to explore the areas you specialize in. The map also gives 

proximity to transit stations and includes general details about 

what governs that piece of property. 

Prefer in person info? The Zoning Administrator’s office is 

located at City Hall, 121 N. La Salle St., on the ninth floor. 

HOW DO ZONING APPLICATIONS 

& APPEALS WORK? 

You and your clients may contact the Zoning Administrator’s 

office for one of three reasons: 

1. Filing an inspection request about another property. 

An inspection request may come from an alderman or 

community members if they are concerned about a 

potential zone violation of a particular property in 

the community. 

2. Filing for an opinion request for your property. “Opinion 

requests” are literal. Instead of using the services of a 

zoning attorney (who tend to assist with more complex 

situations), you can formally file for a professional, 

documented opinion from the Zoning Administrator’s 

Office about a specific type of circumstance 

documenting your property. 

Want to build a masonry wall along your rear property 

line? File an opinion request! The administrator’s office 

will research and respond with either approval to 

move forward with your project or notice that it is not 

within your zone’s limitations. They do require a $ 150 

filing fee and may take up to 30 days for processing. 

3. Requesting a zoning certification, zoning variation or 

zoning map amendment. Zoning certificates are 

required for the construction or renovation of any 

residential property composed of five units or less that 

is not a condominium. The certificate affirms the amount 

of legally established dwelling units on a particular prop- 

erty. You can expect the Administrator’s average response 

time for zoning certificates to be at least two weeks. 

Interested in investing in real estate? These zoning 

certificates are especially important to protect you 

and your clients as well as the greater health of our 

communities. Zoning plays an important role in ensuring 

what is developed near our homes and businesses are 

done so with intention, quality and safety in mind. 

Keep in mind: If the certificate comes back with a 

different amount of recognized legal dwellings on the 

property, you can file an appeal or request a zoning 

variance or zoning map amendment. 

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE 

BETWEEN A ZONING VARIANCE 

& A ZONING AMENDMENT? 

The variance does not change the zone your property falls 

within — it simply permits an exception to the larger use 

restrictions. Zoning map amendments come into play when 

enough variances are involved that the property needs to be 

completely re-zoned. 

WHAT’S THE (APPROXIMATE) 

JOURNEY OF A ZONING 

APPLICATION? 

Depending on the complexity of the request and the 

reception it has in the community from residents and the 

alderman, the timeline for a zoning map change application 

to be processed may vary. 

However, here’s a simplified breakdown of an application’s 

journey: 

1. Once an application is submitted through the 

Department of Revenue, it is then routed to the 

Zoning Administrator’s Office, where it is reviewed 

for completeness. 

2. Once complete, it is referred to the Committee on 

Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards, where it is 

added to the deferred agenda with all the other 

submitted, completed applications. The committee 

meets monthly. 

3. Once the application is heard, it is referred to City 

Council, who also meets monthly. From there, City 

Council reviews the application and the Committee 

on Zoning’s recommendations to either approve or 

reject it. The Council makes the final decision. 

All in all, the fastest a zoning map amendment application 

Continued on page 24 


Continued from page 23 

can be processed, heard and approved based on time 

between meetings is three months. If the application is 

rejected, it can be appealed at the Zoning Board of Appeals. 

Please note: application fees for all zoning requests must be either 

mailed via USPS or FedEx or paid in-person at the Department of 

Revenue window at City Hall. There is no online payment portal! 

WHO HAS THE FINAL SAY? 

Final voting authority on all zoning matters rests with City 

Council, yet there are a number of entities and big players 

involved with zoning in Chicago: 

• Zoning Ordinance Administration Division (also 

referred to as the Zoning Administrator’s Office): 

An office within the Department of Planning and 

Development. They have the power to research and 

make recommendations but they do not vote. 

• Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building 

Standards: Composed of City Council members, this 

committee makes recommendations to the City 

Council on matters related to zoning. 

• Zoning Board of Appeals: Composed of five mayoral- 

appointed members with City Council approval. 

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW 

ABOUT RESIDENTIAL ZONING? 

A large majority of zoning within Chicago qualifies as a 

residential zone, accommodating everything from single 

family homes to high rises. Fun fact: even religious assemblies, 

libraries and schools are generally zoned as residential. 

When the Zoning Administration reviews an application 

and makes a recommendation to City Council for the final 

vote, they’re looking at the specific property’s impact on 

the quality of life of the larger community. A request for a 

development in a residential zone is unlikely to be approved 

if the Zoning Ordinance Administration determines it will 

have a negative impact on property owners (like, for example, 

a manufacturing plant in the middle of a neighborhood). 

WHAT ARE COMMON ZONING 

RESTRICTIONS FOR CHICAGO 

PROPERTY OWNERS? 

In Cook County, and especially in the city, common use 

restrictions include historical landmark designations, 

lakefront zoning and cannabis zoning. 

• Historic preservation is a unique facet of zoning in 

Chicago, so much that there is an entire landmark 

district staff in the Zoning Ordinance Administration 

Department which handles the establishment and 

maintenance of landmark districts and properties. 

Famous historic districts in Chicago include the Old 

Town Triangle, Black Metropolis-Bronzeville, Printing 

House Row, Logan Square Boulevards, Old Chicago 

Water Tower and Pullman. Advise your clients about 

the probability of extra certifications, documentations 

and steps needed to make significant changes (for 

example, changing the façade is a common request) to 

properties that fall into these zones. 

• Lakefront protection districts mostly fall within 

Chicago Park District land, but these regulations are 

designed to preserve the quality of and public access 

to the lakefront. 

• The Cannabis Zoning Ordinance, approved by City 

Council in October 2019, regulates where new 

recreational cannabis dispensaries may open in the 

City of Chicago. 

WHAT ISN’T A ZONING 

REGULATION? 

Zoning cannot control elements that would fall into the 

jurisdiction of the Chicago Police Department, Department 

of Buildings or Department of Transportation, nor can it 

control aspects that are handled within private parties, such 

as homeowner associations. It all comes down to whether 

the issue is a matter of private property or public. For example, 

the closure of a street or the vacation of an alley would be a 

Department of Transportation matter, rather than a zoning one. 

WHAT ABOUT ADUS – WHERE DO 

THEY COME INTO PLAY? 

Accessory/Additional Dwelling Units, a legal and regulatory 

term for a secondary house or apartment that shares the 

building lot of a larger, primary house, are important because 

your clients may now receive approval on the construction 

and conversion of ADUs on their property. An ADU can 

include a tiny house in the backyard, a coach house, a granny 

flat, a build-out space in the basement of a multi-unit or space 

above a garage. 

However, there are important provisions to note. The ADU’s 

primary structure must be at least 20 years old and there are 

additional occupancy requirements. Also, the ordinance outlined 

five “Pilot Zones” or pre-approved areas where ADUs fall within 

zoning guidelines without a re-zoning or variance request. 

If your property or your client’s property do not fall within 

the Pilot Zone boundaries, you must apply for a zoning 

variance, which officially permits the property owner to use 

your property for something that varies from the official 

zone — without applying for a zone map amendment. 

Zoning variance applications can be found and submitted to 

the Zoning Board of Appeals on the City of Chicago’s website. 

Accessory Dwelling Units help increase the housing supply, 

and REALTORS ® firmly support policies that encourage 

building and construction! You can find a full issue summary 

on ADUs at ChicagoREALTOR.com/Advocacy. 


Association News 

Local Hispanic-Owned Business Receives 

COVID-19 Relief Grant 

Our city has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in a variety 

of ways, and the CAR Foundation is helping affected small business 

owners. During Black History and Asian American & Pacific Islander 

(AAPI) Months, we awarded grants to Black and AAPI locally-owned 

businesses. In October, we awarded a $ 1,000 grant to a Hispanicowned 

small business, A Cup of Joe Coffee House. Make sure to stop 

by, say hello and support this establishment! 

A CUP OF JOE 

COFFEE HOUSE 

6806 W. Archer Ave. 

Jose Villarreal frequently traveled across the 

city for a good cup of coffee in a hip space 

where he could work or spend a relaxed 

evening watching an open mic night. 

Joe known for its drinks and food, but it also supports the community, 

providing a platform for artists to express themselves, a pop-up location 

for local businesses and open mic nights for comedians and musicians. 

An integral part of the coffee shop’s identity comes from its Hispanic 

roots. The menu features items like tamales and horchata, and the 

ambiance reflects its heritage through its art. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, A Cup of Joe was greatly 

affected. As their location primarily focuses on indoor dining, the 

pandemic restrictions caused a downturn in their business and 

operation difficulties. “During these difficult times, this grant will give 

A Cup of Joe the opportunity to reinvest,” one of their staff said. 

“We will be able to upgrade equipment and save for upcoming 

overhead expenses.” 

Seeing an opportunity, he decided to take the plunge and open his 

own coffee shop two years ago in Garfield Ridge. Not only is A Cup of 

Together, we will continue to uplift our communities and those who 

keep them thriving! 

New President’s Award 

Announced During 138 th 

Inaugural Gala 

During our 138 th Inaugural Gala on Friday, September 24, CEO 

Michelle Mills Clement announced the endowment of a brandnew 

President’s Award named after 2021 president Nykea Pippion 

McGriff’s son, who was a victim of gun violence in 2017. The Xavier 

O. Joy Presidential Inspiration Award will recognize an individual 

who serves as an integral source of support, encouragement and 

motivation before and during the president’s leadership term. Not 

only is the new presidential award named after Xavier, but he was 

also honored as its first recipient. 

CommercialForum Launches 

the New Legal Library Pro 

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Association to offer you an exclusive, commercial-focused forms and 

contracts program, the Legal Library Pro. This system provides forms 

and contracts that are easily editable, with auto-population options, to 

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Library Pro streamlines the journey to closing a deal by: 

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Chicago REALTORS ® receive a discounted price of just $ 200 a year! 

Get started today at ChicagoREALTOR.com/LegalLibraryPro. 

Mills Clement 

Michelle Mills Clement Named Bisnow 

Power Woman 

CEO Michelle Mills Clement was named as one of Bisnow’s 2021 Power Women in Commercial Real Estate. She 

will be honored at their Power Women event in February. She joins a variety of other women in Chicago commercial 

real estate who were honored for their work and efforts to make positive changes in the commercial industry. 

Congratulations, Michelle! 


New Placemaking Murals in 

Andersonville & Kenwood 

Honor Local Residents & Heroes 

As REALTORS ® , we know how important homes and commercial 

properties are to the backbone of our communities. But we also know 

there is much more that goes into making our communities healthy 

and vibrant places to live, work and play. 

This is why over the last few years we’ve funded placemaking projects 

throughout the city to enhance our neighborhoods and strengthen 

our relationship with community stakeholders. 

Chicago. He also filed a lawsuit claiming discrimination 

against minority voters in the use of punch card ballots 

during the 2000 election. 

• Rosie Simpson is an education activist who participated 

in the 1963 boycott and march from Chicago Public Schools 

which protested segregation policies that were put in place 

that year. 

Early this fall, we unveiled our latest efforts: the creation of two 

brand-new murals funded by National Association of REALTORS ® ’ 

grants. Here’s an exclusive look at these new murals, their inspirations 

and their legacies. 

• Reverend Helen Sinclair is the daughter of Jessie “Ma” 

Houston. She was a prison chaplain at Statesville 

Correctional Center and a founding member of Operation 

PUSH, a social justice organization. 

World-renowned street artist Rahmaan “Statik” Barnes created 

this new mural, which can be viewed at the corner of 50 th Street 

and Cottage Grove Avenue. He may be a familiar name to those of 

you familiar with our previous placemaking projects, as he is also 

responsible for our 2019 project in Chatham: a mural depicting poet 

Gwendolyn Brooks. 

KENWOOD: LIVING LEGACIES MURAL 

Jessie “Ma” Houston Park in Kenwood is no stranger to impactful 

artwork. In 1994, the “Feed Your Children the Truth” mural was 

unveiled, commemorating the life of the park’s namesake, Jessie “Ma” 

Houston, a minister and activist who worked to improve incarcerated 

persons' lives through Operation PUSH (now the Rainbow PUSH 

Coalition). 

The new “Living Legacies” mural, funded by CAR and the Southeast 

Chicago Commission, honors unsung community and civil rights 

activists, all of whom were hand-picked by the park’s Advisory 

Council: Timuel Black Jr., Rosie Simpson and Reverend Helen Sinclai. 

Each is honored as having an outsized influence in Black and minority 

communities around Chicago. 

• Timuel Black Jr. is a civil rights activist who organized 

Chicago’s participation in the March on Washington in 

1963. He is a retired teacher who taught at Chicago Public 

Schools, City College of Chicago and the University of 

ANDERSONVILLE: LIFE AT THE 

INTERSECTIONS MURAL 

Andersonville, a community within Edgewater, is home to residents 

of many different backgrounds, ethnicities and sexual orientations. 

“Life at the Intersections,” a new mural on the south wall of The Clark 

(5346 N. Clark Street), aims to reflect the neighborhood’s diversity. 

Artist Molly Costello interviewed 77 local residents and 

business owners as inspiration for the piece, which highlights the 

neighborhood’s LGBTQIA+ and activist legacy, in hopes of inspiring 

reflection on alternative community safety, wellness, mutual support 

and care. 


“Their honesty about the area and hopes for the future were poured 

into these visuals,” Costello said. 

hosts many local events and holiday parades, making it a prime 

location for our project. 

The location of the piece is notable: The Clark building, which 

formerly housed a Swedish bakery, is a neighborhood landmark, acting 

as a hub for community activity. The adjacent alley and courtyard 

Placemaking: Where We’ve Been & Where We’re Going 

We have a number of placemaking projects at different stages of 

completion. 

HORNER PARK DOG PARK 

2741 W. Montrose Ave., Irving Park 

LIFE AT THE INTERSECTIONS MURAL 

5346 N. Clark St., Andersonville 

Horner Park Dog Park provides a place for Irving Park dog owners to 

meet and congregate at the largest “grass” dog park in Chicago (which 

is actually made of turf, per Chicago Park District rules). CAR funded 

the second phase of the dog park, which included paving an entryway, 

installing a water fountain and water features, and building out a small 

dog area with benches. 

Austin Terminal Study 

Intersection of Austin Blvd. & Division St., Chicago, IL 60651 

ART PANEL AT LAKEVIEW 

LOW LINE ART WALL 

3410 N. Lincoln Ave., Lakeview 

LIVING LEGENDS MURAL 

5001 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Kenwood 

Gwendolyn Brooks Mural 

East-facing exterior wall of France’s Lounge, 

307 East 75 th St., Chicago, IL 60619 

AUSTIN TERMINAL STUDY 

Bus Terminal at N. Austin Blvd. and W. Division St., Austin 

Status: COMPLETE 

Project Partners: DePaul’s Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan 

Development 

This study was designed to determine usage, engagement and 

accessibility for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Division Street 

bus terminal in Austin, while establishing recommendations for 

capital improvements using a blend of CTA rider volume data going 

back to 1995, community demographics and the existing blend of 

nearby residential and commercial real estate. The recommendations 

included enhancements and upgrades to the terminal as well as 

walkability and access in the area abutting the station, which were 

presented to the Chicago Transit Authority. 

LIVING LEGENDS MURAL 

5001 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Kenwood 

Status: NEWLY COMPLETED 

Project Partners: Houston Parks Advisory Council & the Southeast 

Chicago Commission 

GWENDOLYN BROOKS MURAL 

312 E. 75 th St., Chatham 


Project Partners: Greater Chatham Initiative & the South Side 

Community Investors Association 

The Gwendolyn Brooks Mural highlights the work of the poet herself, 

who was a Chatham native. The mural serves as a legacy item in 

Chatham and a physical pledge of CAR’s support of our vibrant south 

side communities. This mural was completed by artist Rahmaan “Statik” 

Barnes, who also completed the Living Legends Mural in Kenwood. 

HORNER PARK DOG PARK 

2741 W. Montrose Ave., Irving Park 


Project Partners: Horner Park Dog Park Advisory Council 

LIFE AT THE INTERSECTIONS MURAL 

5346 N. Clark St., Andersonville 

Status: NEWLY COMPLETED 

Project Partners: Andersonville Chamber of Commerce & Special 

Service Area #22 

ART PANEL AT LAKEVIEW LOW LINE ART WALL 

3410 N. Lincoln Ave., Lakeview 

Status: COMING SOON 

Project Partners: West Lakeview Chamber of Commerce & the Friends 

of Lakeview 

The Low Line connects Lakeview’s unique sub-districts by reenvisioning 

the half-mile space beneath the CTA ‘L’ tracks between 

Southport and Lincoln Avenues as an art destination. Our investment 

will fund a small art wall along the walkway, which will ultimately play 

host to rotating art exhibits, creating an outdoor gallery. 


HALL OF FAME 

JAMES D. LETCHINGER: 

FEARLESS, PROUD AND DRIVEN... NEVER SATISFIED WITH AVERAGE! 

Born and raised in downtown Chicago, James D. Letchinger admired 

skyscrapers and high-rises from a young age. “I watched the city 

get built,” he said. “I was very close with my father. We would drive 

around the city, and every time there was a new building going up, he 

would comment on it, saying ‘those guys build buildings.’ I wanted to 

be one of those guys.” 

himself from starting with custom single-family homes and townhomes, 

to now, where he’s at the top of the luxury condo market.” 

His hands-on approach in all JDL’s projects, from inception to 

completion, has ensured JDL’s survival through several real estate 

cycles. Today, he’s one of Chicago’s preeminent residential real estate 

developers, a trend that’s expected to continue, as his two children 

and his son-in-law have followed in his footsteps, securing his legacy 

for many years to come. 

“He’s competitive; he doesn’t like to lose,” longtime collaborator Jim 

Plunkard, Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, said. “He’ll identify a 

project and do whatever he has to do to get it. It’s his superpower.” 

Both his vision and knack for knowing exactly what luxury buyers want 

were on full display when, in 2019, he delivered No. 9 Walton, the most 

expensive and exclusive collection of condominiums ever developed in 

Chicago. Sales at No. 9 Walton dominated headlines around the world 

and smashed numerous real estate records in Chicago. 

Many would have been content to take a step back and relax 

following that project’s success — but not James. Construction is 

nearly complete on his newest vertical oasis, One Chicago, a pair of 

boutique luxury lifestyle buildings in River North that cap out at 75 

and 49 stories tall. 

“I don’t know where his limits are,” Larry Krueger, Wanxiang America 

Real Estate Group, said. “I haven’t seen them yet.” 

As of this year, JDL has delivered more than 1,900 residential units, 

with another 2,900 in different stages of development. 

2021 Hall of Fame inductee James Letchinger, JDL Development. 

Following his graduation from the University of Michigan, he founded 

a lighting and design studio, which gave him the experience and 

connections to pursue his dream of being a real estate developer; in 

1993, he founded JDL Development. His first project transformed 

21 apartments into five unique residential condominiums at 210 

E. Walton Street, a 1940’s Benjamin Marshall building. Quickly, he 

earned a reputation as one of Chicago’s most creative and respected 

residential developers, focusing on vertical, urban development, 

where his expertise in entitlement and infill design is second to none. 

James credits much of his success to his deep Chicago roots and 

unyielding love of the city. “Everyone who knows me knows I love 

Chicago; I think it’s the greatest city on earth,” he said. “I want to 

leave Chicago a better place than I found it, and I want people to 

drive around and talk about our buildings. It’s important that they 

are well-regarded for years to come, because they’re going to be 

around a lot longer than I will.” 

Congratulations, James, on your induction into the Hall of Fame. 

Watch James' Hall of Fame induction 

speech and check out his video. 

“He’s so magnetic — people want to buy from him,” Nancy Tassone, 

Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty, said. “He’s really transformed 


PATHWAY TO THE HALL OF FAME 

JAMES D. LETCHINGER 

The newest inductee to the 

Hall of Fame, James Letchinger, 

built his career on being fearless, 

proud and driven — qualities 

that have led to his impact on 

Chicago’s skyline. 

James was born and raised in downtown 

Chicago. He grew up admiring 

many of Chicago’s most iconic 

buildings with his father. 

His first real estate 

development converted the 

Benjamin Marshall building 

at 210 E. Walton St from 

apartments to condos. 

In 1985, he graduated from 

the University of Michigan. 

Eight years later, he founded 

a lighting showroom in River 

North that served architects 

and designers, which 

connected him to the real 

estate industry. 

He’s led JDL through numerous “iterations” and real 

estate cycles, growing from single family homes and 

townhomes to the top of the luxury condo market. 

In 2019, he completed the most expensive, 

exclusive collection of condominiums ever 

developed in Chicago, No. 9 Walton. 

His passion for real 

estate and belief in 

“dinner table education” 

has ensured JDL’s 

legacy in Chicago for 

generations to come. 

Both his son and sonin-law 

have roles in the 

firm, while his daughter 

runs a leasing company 

and works on many of 

his projects. 

His largest project to 

date, a pair of boutique 

luxury lifestyle buildings 

in River North dubbed 

One Chicago, is almost 

complete. 

Thank you, James, for your contributions to 

our industry! 


ROGERS 

PARK 

'The 77’ Tour 

of Chicago’s 

BERWYN 

Neighborhoods 

Tour many of Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods through the eyes of our 

neighborhood experts on our Diversity Committee, The 77. They shared 

their favorite restaurants, landmarks, architecture and more; these are 

just a few reasons Chicago is such a wonderful place to live, work and play. 

MOUNT 

GREEN- 

WOOD 

CENTRAL 

NEAR NORTH SIDE 

Representative: Marla Forbes, @properties 

Favorite Restaurant: Francesca’s on Chestnut, 200 E. Chestnut 

Neighborhood Landmark: Water Tower, 806 North Michigan Ave. 

Most Unique Building: Restoration Hardware, 1300 N. Dearborn 

Best Recreation Area: The Lakefront 

LOOP 

Representative: Lynn Brahin, Corcoran Urban Real Estate 

Favorite Restaurant: Ming Hin, 333 E. Benton Pl. 

Neighborhood Landmark: Corinthian Columns from Chicago's 1905 

Federal Building, 337 E. Randolph St. 

Most Unique Building: Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington 

Best Recreation Area: Maggie Daley Park, 337 E. Randolph St. 

345 E. Eastgate Pl. 

NEAR SOUTH SIDE 

Representative: JT Byrne, Coldwell Banker Realty 

Favorite Restaurant: Moody Tongue Brewing Company, 2515 S. Wabash Ave. 

Neighborhood Landmark: Monument to the Great Northern Migration, 

Most Unique Building: Glessner House, 1800 S. Prairie Ave. 

Best Recreation Area: 12 th Street Beach and Burnham Harbor, 1200 S. Linn White Dr. 


NORTH SIDE 

NORTH CENTER 

Representative: Linda Hattar, 

ACO Commercial 

Favorite Restaurant: House of 

Wah Sun, 4319 N. Lincoln Ave. 

Neighborhood Landmark: St. Benedict Parish, 

2215 W. Irving Park Rd. 

Most Unique Building: Lane Tech College 

Prep, 2501 W. Addison St. 

Best Recreation Area: Welles (Gideon) Park, 

2333 W. Sunnyside 

LAKEVIEW 

Representative: Matt Silver, 

Corcoran Urban Real Estate 

Favorite Restaurant: Matsuya Sushi, 3242 N. Clark St. 

Neighborhood Landmark: Kwanusila Kwagluth Totem Pole on the 

Lakefront Trail @ Addison St. 

Best Recreation Area: Diversey Harbor 

LINCOLN PARK 

Representative: Deborah Goldberg, Jameson Sotheby’s 

International Realty 

Favorite Restaurant: Riccardo Trattoria, 2119 N. Clark St. 

Neighborhood Landmark: DePaul University 

Best Recreation Area: Oz Park, 2021 N. Burlington 

3150 W. Logan Blvd. 

LOGAN SQUARE 

Representative: Mikus Kins, Be Commercial Realty 

Favorite Restaurant: Daisies, 2523 N. Milwaukee Ave. 

Neighborhood Landmark: Illinois Centennial Monument, 

Most Unique Building: The Robey Hotel, 2018 W. North Ave. 

Best Recreation Area: The Bloomingdale Trail, 1805 N. Ridgeway Ave. 

NORTHWEST SIDE 

2211 N. Oak Park Ave. 

MONTCLARE 

Representative: Mel Alvizures, ABC REALTORS ® Inc. 

Favorite Restaurant: Café Prague, 6710 W. Belmont Ave. 

Most Unique Building: Shriners Hospital for Children, 

Best Recreation Area: Rutherford Sayre Park, 6871 W. Belden Ave. 

2156 N. Tripp Ave. 

HERMOSA 

Representative: Megan Oswald, Coldwell Banker Realty 

Favorite Restaurant: Hermosa, 4356 W. Armitage 

Neighborhood Landmark: Walt Disney's Birthplace, 

Best Recreation Area: Kelvyn Park, 4438 W. Wrightwood Avenue 


FAR NORTH SIDE 

ROGERS 

PARK 

UPTOWN 

Representative: Antonia Mills Wesselink, Antonia L. 

Mills, Attorney at Law 

Favorite Restaurant: Kie-Gol-Lanee, 5004 N. Sheridan 

Neighborhood Landmark: The Green Mill, 4802 N. Broadway 

Most Unique Building: Bridgeview Bank Building, 4753 N. Broadway 

Best Recreation Area: Montrose Beach, 4400 N. Lake Shore Dr. 

WEST RIDGE 

Representative: Lorenzo Sanchez, Engel & Völkers 

Favorite Restaurant: Mi Pueblo Two Restaurant, 

2113 W. Touhy Ave. 

Neighborhood Landmark: Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave. 

Most Unique Building: Indian Boundary Park Fieldhouse, 

2500 W. Lunt Ave. 

Best Recreation Area: Indian Boundary Park Fieldhouse, 

2500 W. Lunt Ave. 

WEST SIDE 

NORWOOD PARK 

Representative: Rosemary Del Cid, Main Event Real 

Estate Group 

Favorite Restaurant: House of Cakes, 6189 N. Canfield 

Neighborhood Landmark: Noble-Seymore-Crippen House, 

5624 N. Newark Ave. 

Most Unique Building: Norwood Park Train Station, 

6088 N. Northwest Hwy. 

Best Recreation Area: Oriole Park, 5430 N. Olcott 

6950 N. Hiawatha Ave. 

FOREST GLEN 

Representative: Robert Padron, RE/MAX Cityview 

Favorite Restaurant: City’s Edge, 5310 W. Devon Ave. 

Neighborhood Landmark: Wildwood Park, 

Most Unique Building: Old Edgebrook Historic District, Central 

and Prescott 

Best Recreation Area: Forest Glen Forest Preserve, 

5420 N. Forest Glen Ave. 

5555 N. Sheridan Rd. 

EDGEWATER 

Representative: Andre Peloquin, @properties 

Favorite Restaurant: Mas Alla del Sol, 5848 N. Broadway 

Most Unique Building: Edgewater Beach Apartments, 

Best Recreation Area: Kathy Osterman Beach, 5800 N. Lake Shore Dr. 

NEAR WEST SIDE 

Representative: Sharon Aguilera, Gentium Properties LLC 

Favorite Restaurant: Tufano's Vernon Park Tap, 

1073 W. Vernon Park Pl. 

Neighborhood Landmark: Jane Addams Hull House, 800 S. Halsted 

Most Unique Building: United Center, 1901 W. Madison St. 

Best Recreation Area: Arrigo Park, 800 S. Loomis 

5704 W. Ohio St. 

AUSTIN 

Representative: Allison McGowan, @properties 

Favorite Restaurant: Coleman’s, 5754 W. Chicago Ave. 

Neighborhood Landmark: Hitchcock House, 

Most Unique Building: Austin Town Hall Park, 5610 W. Lake St. 

Best Recreation Area: Columbus Park Golf Course, 

5701 W. Jackson Blvd. 

NORTH LAWNDALE 

Representative: Wilonda Cannon, Coldwell Banker Realty 

Favorite Restaurant: Lou Malnati’s, 3859 W. Ogden Ave. 

Neighborhood Landmark: Nichols Tower, 906 S. Homan 

Most Unique Building: All the greystones 

Best Recreation Area: Lawndale Christian Health Center, 

3860 W. Ogden 


SOUTH SIDE 

DOUGLAS 

Representative: Terry Perdue, 

House 2 Home 

Favorite Restaurant: 

Two Fish, 641 E. 47 th St. 

Neighborhood Landmark: The Light 

of Truth Ida B. Wells National Monument, 

3724 S. Langley 

Most Unique Building: Swift Mansion, 


Best Recreation Area: Mandrake Park, 3858 S. Cottage Grove 

GREATER GRAND CROSSING 

Representative: Cassandra Sneed, EXIT Strategy Realty 

Favorite Restaurant: Soul Veg City, 201-209 E. 75 th St. 

Neighborhood Landmark: Jean Baptiste Pointe 

DuSable Statue, Pioneer Court 

Most Unique Building: O'Hanley Building, 

7705 S. Cottage Grove 

Best Recreation Area: Greater Grand Crossing 

Branch, Chicago Public Library, 1000 E. 73 rd St. 

740 E. 56 th Pl. 

HYDE PARK 

Representative: Erika Finley, eXp Realty 

Favorite Restaurant: Chant, 1509 E. 53 rd St. 

Neighborhood Landmark: DuSable Museum, 

Most Unique Building: Museum of Science and Industry, 

5700 S. Lake Shore Dr. 

Best Recreation Area: Bixler Park, 5641 S. Kenwood Ave. 

BRIDGEPORT 

Representative: C.K. Cole, Fulton Grace Realty 

Favorite Restaurant: Franco’s Restaurant, 

300 W. 31 st 

Neighborhood Landmark: Palmisano Park, 2700 S. Halsted 

Most Unique Building: Ramova Theater, 3520 S. Halsted 

Best Recreation Area: Park No. 571, 2754 S. Eleanor 

SOUTHWEST SIDE 

GARFIELD RIDGE 

Representative: Erika Villegas, RE/MAX In The Village 

Favorite Restaurant: Danny’s Pizza Chicago, 

6021 S. Archer Ave. 

Neighborhood Landmark: Veteran Triangle, 55 th and 

Narragansett/Archer Ave. 

Most Unique Building: Midway Airport, 

5400 S. Cicero 

Best Recreation Area: Minuteman Park, 

5940 S. Central Ave., Chicago, IL 60638 

| Valley Forge Park, 7001 W. 59 th St., 

Chicago, IL 60638 | Vittum Park, 

5010 W. 50 th St. Chicago, IL 60638 | 

Wentworth (John) Park, 5625 S. Mobile Ave., Chicago, IL 60638 

| Normandy Park, 6660 W. 52 nd St., Chicago, IL 60638 | 

Stars and Stripes Park, 5100 S. Nordica Ave., Chicago, IL 60638 

4900 S. Kedzie Ave. 

BRIGHTON PARK 

Representative: Luis Trejo Martinez, RE/MAX Mi Casa 

Favorite Restaurant: Paco’s Tacos, 4311 S. Archer Ave. 

Neighborhood Landmark: Kedzie Orange Line Station, 

Most Unique Building: The Circle Resource Center, 2648 W. Pershing Rd. 

Best Recreation Area: Kelly (Edward) Park, 2725 W. 41 st St. 


FAR SOUTHEAST SIDE 

8358 S. Indiana 

CHATHAM 

Representative: Kimberly Offord, Fathom Realty 

Favorite Restaurant: Oooh Wee It Is, 33 E. 83 rd St. 

Neighborhood Landmark: The Mahalia Jackson Home, 

Most Unique Building: The Blue White House, 8401 S. Michigan 

Best Recreation Area: Tuley Park, 501 E. 90 th Pl. 

BURNSIDE 

Representative: Crystal Blanton, Fathom Realty 

Favorite Restaurant: Aretha's Dream Restaurant & 

Catering, 616 E. 79 th St. 

Most Unique Building: Finkl Steel Company, 1355 E. 93 rd St. 

Best Recreation Area: Burnside (Ambrose) Park, 

9400 S. Greenwood Ave. 


ROSELAND 

Representative: Michael LaFargue, 


Favorite Restaurant: Ranch Steak House, 

Neighborhood Landmark: Reformation Lutheran Church, 

11310 S. Forest Ave. 

Most Unique Building: Chicago State University Library & Cordell 

Reed Student Union Building, 9501 S. King Drive St. 

Best Recreation Area: Abbott Park, 49 E. 95 th St. 

PULLMAN 

Representative: Sandra Patterson, Coldwell Banker Realty 

Favorite Restaurant: One Eleven Food Hall, 

756 E. 111 th St. 

Neighborhood Landmark & Most Unique Building: Pullman National 

Monument, 111 th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue 

Best Recreation Area: Gately Indoor Track and Field Center, 

11201 S. Cottage Grove Ave. 

SOUTH DEERING 

Representative: Sharon Averhart, Charles Rutenberg 

Realty 

Favorite Restaurant: Calumet Fisheries, 3259 E. 95 St. 

Neighborhood Landmark: Drake Fountain, 2935 E. 92 nd St. 

Most Unique Building: Royal Savings Bank, 9226 S. Commercial 

Best Recreation Area: Marion R. Burns Park, 2200 E. 103 St. 

FAR SOUTHWEST SIDE 

ASHBURN 

Representative: Shaun Pinkston, Keller Williams 

ONEChicago 

Favorite Restaurant: Dan’s Soul Food, 2523 W. 79 th 

Neighborhood Landmark: Ford City Mall, 7500 S. Cicero 

Most Unique Building: Luther South High School, 3130 W. 87 th St. 

Best Recreation Area: Hayes Park, 2936 W. 85 th St. 

111 th & Kedzie Ave. 

MOUNT GREENWOOD 

Representative: Phillip Pippion, Ani Real Estate 

Favorite Restaurant: Pop’s Beef, 10337 S. Kedzie Ave. 

Neighborhood Landmark: Mount Greenwood Corner, 

Most Unique Building: Chicago Patrolmen's Federal Credit Union, 

10343 S. Pulaski Rd. 

Best Recreation Area: Mount Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111 th St. 

MOUNT 

GREEN- 

WOOD 


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Government Affairs Update 

Your Winter Government 

Affairs Update 

2022 CHICAGO BUDGET: REAL ESTATE 

HIGHLIGHTS & CONCERNS 

Mayor Lori Lightfoot presented her budget to City Council on 

September 20, 2021. The proposal contains $ 635 million to maintain 

and expand affordable housing and $ 202 million for homelessness 

initiatives. Other initiatives include 175 new community amenities, 

including grocery stores, commercial spaces and parks. The mayor 

is also proposing nearly $ 2 million in earmarked funds for the 

Abandoned Property grant program, a fund utilized by developers 

for the rehabilitation of properties. There are also dedicated funds 

to invest $ 141 million for vacant lot reduction and vacant building 

rehabilitation programming. 

Included in the budget recommendation is a status update on Tax 

Increment Financing (TIF) districts throughout the city. A geographic 

area (usually, but not always, a blighted area) is approved as a TIF. 

There are some noted TIF areas in and around downtown Chicago. 

Taxes generated in a TIF District are not part of the city’s general 

pool of money; rather, TIF funds are used for projects specifically in 

the TIF District. The city reports a TIF surplus of $ 271.6 million. The 

surplus will yield $ 67 million for the city budget as well as $ 150 million 

for Chicago Public Schools. 

period beyond 30 days). As Just Cause proponents do not believe 

a property owner should be able to end a tenancy, property owners 

would no longer have a say in who stays in their property. While 

the proposal is touted as a way to avoid gentrification, it further 

reduces the very few remaining options of property owners when 

tenants break rules or exhibit behavior that disrupts the building 

and other tenants. 

Eviction is always the last, worst-case scenario for any property 

owner. Not only are the landlord-tenant laws in Chicago extremely 

clear in their protection of tenants, but tenants have been further 

protected from eviction and even disincentivized to pay rent for 

the past +20 months by numerous mandates at all levels of the 

government, despite access to rental assistance. 

The advocates claim there is an affordable housing crisis, yet they 

have proposals that increase the cost of housing. One example 

of this is the inclusion in the Just Cause Eviction ordinance of a 

mandatory registration fee for apartment units of any size, with 

the exception of owner-occupied 3 units or fewer, which is a clear 

cash grab that punishes those who have chosen to expand housing 

options and choices in our city by making available their private 

property. Another example: a provision for relocation fees. 

Even though a property tax increase passed last year that allows for 

annual adjustments, the adjustments are pegged to inflation and will 

occur in perpetuity, unless City Council reverses the policy. With that 

being said, city government is growing. The Department of Housing 

is growing from a Full Time Equivalent (FTE) count of 81 in fiscal year 

2021 to 92 in fiscal year 2022, and the overall department budget will 

increase by nearly $ 34 million. 

Additionally, outside of the outsized financial burden these eviction 

ordinances have placed on property owners, this additional 

legislation threatens to overburden our court system moving 

forward, basically mandating that for a property owner to gain the 

right to ask a tenant to leave, a property owner must go to court. 

Going to court means hiring a lawyer, adding even more costs to an 

already costly business. 

Budget hearings and voting took place on October 27. The budget 

was enacted by a vote of 35 to 15. While this margin of victory is 

much greater than last year’s budget vote, it must be noted that two 

of the Mayor’s allies, including a chair of a City Council committee and 

the Council President Pro Tempore, voted against. The city’s finances 

will continue to be monitored by your GADs. 

REALTORS ® TESTIFY AGAINST 

“JUST CAUSE” EVICTIONS 

The proposed Just Cause Eviction Ordinance is an outright violation 

of private property rights, going even further than the Fair Notice 

Ordinance passed during the pandemic (which extends the notice 

All in all, the Just Cause Eviction Ordinance goes too far to protect 

tenants and disregards private property rights entirely; it threatens 

to further burden the process of renting available housing to those in 

need and adds additional costs and risks to property owners already 

operating in an expensive, highly regulated environment. Chicago is 

already a challenging environment in which to rent out property; as 

such, we should be looking for solutions to expand access, reduce 

costs and encourage good neighbor behavior in our communities. 

While the advocates do not have the votes in the Council to pass 

such a demonstrative piece of legislation, this effort is one we will 

continue to monitor earnestly. 


JUNE 2022 IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL 

PRIMARY ELECTION 

2022 is a mid-term election year, reflecting the halfway mark of the 

term of the President of the United States. Every member of the U.S. 

House of Representatives, 33 U.S. Senators, every member of the 

Illinois House of Representatives and a fraction of the Illinois Senate 

will be up for re-election. Also, up for election in 2022 are all Illinois 

Constitutional Officers, chief among them the Governor’s office. 

Most voters in Chicago are used to trudging through wind, snow 

and other inclement weather in order to do the most basic civic 

duty, but this won’t be the case in 2022. Due to the wait for final 

census numbers to be submitted, Senate Bill 825 effectively moved 

next year’s primary election from March 15, 2022 to June 28, 2022. 

Please note, the general election date remains unchanged: November 

8, 2022, when the respective nominees face-off to ultimately decide 

the winner of each contest. And, elections for the three city-wide 

posts (Mayor, Clerk and Treasurer) and all 50 aldermen will occur in 

February 2023, with the runoff election (for those races where no 

candidate reaches 50% plus one votes) to follow in April 2023. 

Also facing a primary in 2022: the Cook County President, Assessor, 

Clerk, Sheriff, Board of Review and all 17 members of the Board of 

Commissioners, plus three seats on the Water Reclamation District. 

Remapping will change some dynamics, but ultimately voters will 

decide how these elected leaders have performed in their respective 

roles. While the primary will be held in late June, candidates have 

started to make announcements of interest to seek re-election, 

retire or challenge an incumbent. Typically, the primary is more 

important than the general election held in November because of 

the Democratic stronghold in Cook County and Chicago. Therefore, 

the winter and spring will bring many discussions of who and why a 

candidate should be supported to represent real estate interests. 

WHY LOCAL ELECTIONS MATTER FOR 

OUR BUSINESS & COMMUNITIES 

to provide housing. Your GADs make this case to lawmakers every 

opportunity we can. 

Additionally, this year, housing values increased drastically while 

commercial owners saw significant increases in Fair Market Value 

(FMV). The Assessor’s Office is supposed to give an assessment to 

properties based off a number of factors (including market trends, 

property characteristics, etc.). Numbers and data are very important; 

however, many neighborhoods have rows of vacant storefronts. 

2022 will tell us if these vacancies will be filled to pre-pandemic 

levels. Typically, the market will adjust, and opportunities arise 

from consumer demand. But shifts in consumer spending may 

place additional hurdles to leasing those vacancies. The heavy 

assessments on commercial will play out this year and time will tell 

how businesses respond. 

REALTORS ® are voters – and your voice is important. If you’re not 

at the table, you’re on the menu. If you aren’t exercising your right 

to vote, private property rights will continue to be at risk and up 

for debate. 

SIGN UP TO RECEIVE REALTOR ® 

PARTY MOBILE ALERTS: 

TEXT REALTOR TO 30644. 

Contact your GADs Kristopher J. Anderson, 

Director of Government & External Affairs, 

kanderson@chicagorealtor.com, and 

Adriann Murawski, Director of Government 

Affairs, amurawski@chicagorealtor.com. 

Join us for... 

Over the past four years, we’ve seen a lot of legislation impacting 

residential rentals. Cook County has come up short in recognizing 

the increasing costs of housing. Additionally, to state the obvious, 

the pandemic took a huge toll on the economy, and some of the 

decisions made by our elected officials back in 2020 will have 

significant impact on the future (namely, the COVID-19 adjustment 

made by the Assessor’s Office to residential properties in the 

summer of 2020). 

Following the passage of the Cook County Residential Tenant and 

Landlord Ordinance in early 2021, many small owners considered 

selling or actually sold their buildings. The eviction moratorium 

protected the rights of renters while outright ignoring the plight 

of many struggling housing providers with little reserves to cover 

non-paying tenants ineligible for or uninterested in rental assistance 

funds. Rising costs and risks eliminated many from participating 

in the business operations of being a landlord. Some housing 

advocates disagree with the business element of providing housing, 

but services are necessary for buildings and maintenance requires 

long-term planning and financing. It is hard work maintaining a 

building; therefore, profit must exist (even a slim one) for motivation 

FIRST TUESDAY 

OF THE MONTH 

ChicagoREALTOR.com/events 

9 AM to 10:30 AM | Virtual Event 


Special Advertising Section 

INDUSTRY PARTNERS 


Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) - Greater Chicago 

areaa.org/greaterchicago/ @AREAAchicago @areaagreaterchicago 

AREAA Chicago proudly supports the advancement of Asian American homeownership. This quarter, we have worked 

diligently to provide educational resources, build our post-pandemic community and advocate our strong stance against 

the recent rise in Asian hate crimes. #STOPASIANHATE 

FIABCI-Midwest, the International Real Estate Federation 

fiabciusamember.com 

@FIABCIMidwest 

During October 2-4, 2022, we will partner with the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and the 

city of Honolulu for the annual Global Observance of World Habitat Day. Mark your calendars, as more details are to 

come soon! 

LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance Chicago 

realestatealliance.org 

Introducing our new Industry Partner: LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance Chicago! Their mission is to advocate for fair 

housing for all and promote LGBTQ+ homeownership, elevate professionalism in the industry through education and 

networking, and celebrate diversity and inclusion in our members and allied partners. Learn more about our new 

Industry Partner at realestatealliance.org. 

National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) – Chicago Chapter 

www.nahrepchicago.org/ 

@nahrepchicago 

Your NAHREP Chicago family provides timely education, networking opportunities, resources and events to advance 

the +50% Hispanic homeownership rate! We encourage everyone to join our programming and get involved in our 

community. 

NAREB Chicago Chapter / Dearborn REALTIST ® Board (DRB) 

https://chicagorealtist.com/ 

@chicagorealtist 

The Dearborn REALTISTS ® continue to be at the forefront of education and economic development in housing in the 

African American community. This past quarter, we successfully held our annual William G. Gray Golf Outing and 

Scholarship fundraiser event, hosted our membership picnic and conducted our third annual Community Receivership 

& Forfeiture Training! 

Real Estate to the Rescue (RTTR) 

https://realestatetotherescue.com/ @RealEstatetotheRescueChicago @realestatetotherescue 

Our mission is to mobilize the real estate community to help homeless animals in the Chicagoland area. We address our 

mission in three different ways: fundraising, community outreach and political advocacy. 

Women’s Council of REALTORS ® (WCR) – Chicago 

www.wcr.org/network-sites/illinois/chicago/ @WCRChicago @WCR_Chicago 

Congratulations to the newly installed Women’s Council of REALTORS ® Chicago 2022 Leadership Team! 

President Antonia Mills Wesselink 

President-Elect Natasha Murphy 

First Vice President Patricia Jamrozowivz-Wdowka 

Treasurer Ian Shlueter 

Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP) – Chicago Chapter 

https://varep.net/ 

@VAREPChicago 

Program Director Shaun Pinkston 

Membership Director Sharon Aguilera 

Marketing Chair Keisha Williams 

Strategic Partner Liaison Julia Mezher 

VAREP Chicago supports veteran education on homeownership, provides networking opportunities and events, and 

supports the CAR Foundation’s Veteran Pre-Licensing scholarship! We are looking for individuals who have experience 

with veteran advocacy and have served the real estate industry. If you are interested in joining the leadership team, 

contact Chicago Chapter President Eric (EJ) Johnson at eric.johnson@goosehead.com.

Special Advertising Section 

FIABCI - Midwest 

Dearborn REALTIST ® Board 


VAREP – Chicago Chapter 

NAHREP Chicago Chapter 


Real Estate to the Rescue 


VAREP – Chicago Chapter 

AREAA Greater Chicago 




WCR Chicago 


How We Supported Chicago 

Neighborhoods in 2021 

2021 By the Numbers 

Here’s a breakdown of the impact the CAR 

Foundation had on real estate professionals and 

our communities this year. 

Total Amount Raised: 

$ 

154,432.26 

1 

Charitable Giving Total: 

$ 

166,536 

Number of Scholarships Given: 

62, totaling $ 38,328 

in education reimbursements 

Organizations Who 

Received Donations: 

15 

2 

5 

3 

4 

1. Myra Nimchaiyong, COMPASS, Drussy Hernandez, Coldwell Banker Realty, Ana Laura 

Sandoval, Sonia Anaya & Ana Quiroz, America Real Estate; 2. Tony Hardy, Keller Williams 

ONEChicago; 3. Keisha Williams, Fulton Grace Realty; 4. Megan Oswald, Coldwell Banker 

Realty; 5. Sonia Anaya, America Real Estate, & Kevin Itima, Root Realty, Inc. 

Thank you for your support this year! 


1 

2 

2021 FOUNDATION 5K 

From competitive runners to brisk walkers and those 

just dusting off their sneakers, Jackson Park hosted 

our Chicago Association of REALTORS ® Foundation 

5K participants on Saturday, August 28. Thank you 

to everyone who came out in support of the CAR 

Foundation, which provides educational scholarships to 

enhance REALTORS ® ’ businesses and professionalism, 

fosters careers in real estate and provides charitable 

donations to Chicagoland organizations! 

3 

4 

5 

1. Alison Stogsdill, Maria Milutinovic & Kelly Skilton, Chicago Title; 2. A group 

of runners make their way to the finish line; 3. Elizabeth De La Paz, Coldwell 

Banker Realty; 4. Wayne Beals, EXIT Strategy Realty; 5. Tammy Hajjar Miller, 

The Federal Savings Bank, & Sam Powell, Dream Town Realty; 6. Wiley 

Ransom, CENTURY 21 Affiliated, Marion Valle, Valle Realty, & guest Henry 

Aguiler; 7. Kevin Cooper, eXp Realty, guest Christy Toy, guest Meganne Miller, 

Rachel Scheid, Coldwell Banker Realty, & guest Adam Richardson; 8. Rebecca 

Thomson, Coldwell Banker Realty, & James Thomson Farrell; 9. Sarah Ware, 

Ware Realty Group, Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners, & Nykea Pippion McGriff, 

Coldwell Banker Realty. 

6 

7 

8 

9 

SPONSORED BY: 


Photos by Cory Hall, Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 

1 2 

1 

2021 YPN 

KICKBALL 

3 

On September 9, the Young Professionals 

Network hosted their 3 rd Annual Kickball 

Tournament where 120 real estate 

professionals gathered at UIC’s Roosevelt 

Field to compete in the ultimate kickball 

showdown. Thank you to our sponsors 

and all who joined us. Congratulations 

to our 2021 Champions, Keller Williams 

ONEChicago! 

1. FRONT TO BACK: Amber McClane, Kristin Petrosky, 

Jill Zacharias, Isabella Rico, Heather Fronczale, 

Sadie Morales, Justin Rodriguez, Dwight Merroquin, 

Rich Mauro, Mike Caputo, Eli Kruse, Andrey Rikels, & 

Diego Mendoza, Neighborhood Loans; 2. FRONT TO 

BACK: Stephanie Brimo, Elizabeth Caya, Brittani Walker, 

& Greg Whelan, Chris Engelmann, Dan Csuk, Kellye 

Jackson, Ali Donoghue, Emma Gipson, David Betancourt, 

Leonardo Rojas, & Eric Hublar, Redfin Corporation; 

3. Raymond Melencio, eXp Realty, Allie Tassi, Brian 

Moon, Tommy Choi, Willem Nong-Lambert, Zach Kogut 

& Ty Smith, Keller Williams ONEChicago; 4. Quentin 

Green, Downtown Realty Company; 5. FRONT TO 

BACK: Joanna Jimenez, Alegre Home Loans, Catherine 

Holbrook & Jodi Duan, Americorp Ltd., & Mike Scaccia, 

Celebrity Home Loans, Joey Myers, eClick Lending, 

David Yanez & Giovanni Valdez, Alegre Home Loans, 

Brian Lee & Dan Sulaski, eClick Lending, Cynthia A. 

Marneris, Attorney at Marneris Law, P.C., & 

Nick Ryan, Celebrity Home Loans; 6. FRONT TO BACK: 

Kristen Kulinczenko, Arnishia Drain, Wendi Mezezi, 

Dorj Uranchimeg, Andy Tisler, Ross Perich & 

Kal Kittaneh, Chase. 

4 

5 

6 


1 2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

1. Tyler Stone & Tom Ennessy, Main Street Real 

Estate Group; 2. FRONT TO BACK: Joaquin Reyes, 

Julia Musolino, Walter Salazar, David Bovyn, 

Nick Patterson, Lauren Washington, DJ Paris 

& Deny Quinonez, Kale Realty, Paul Kusnierek, 

Loan Depot, Julia Matyjas, Homesmart Connect 

LLC, & Rasheed Shofidiya, Kale Realty; 3. Paul 

Kusnierek, Loan Depot; 4. FRONT TO BACK: 

Kevin Nelson, Jodi Dougherty, Riley Callahan & 

Aysha Hackert, Downtown Realty Company, Alice 

Weinert, Haven & Loft Realty, Allison Shlofrock & 

Leslie Tapia, Downtown Realty Company; Kevin 

Boggs, Goosehead Insurance, Quentin Green, 

Downtown Realty Company, guest Bruno Riols, 

Michael Bencks, Guaranteed Rate, Tyler Gregory, 

COMPASS, & Laurin Bello, Downtown Realty 

Company; 5. Raymond Melencio, eXp Realty; 

6. FRONT TO BACK: Mo Dadkhah, Rita Carranza, 

Angelica Marneris, Andrew Scheibe, Stacey 

Elowson, Laura Martucci, Tyler Stone, Andy Yuen, 

Johnny Rodogiannis, Tom Ennessy, Richie Dalitto, 

& Jeff Bushaw, Main Street Real Estate Group. 

SPONSORED BY: 


1 2 

128 TH INAUGURAL GALA 

3 

1. Singer Morgan Pirtle; 2. 2021-2022 Board of Directors; 3. Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners; 

4. Nykea Pippion McGriff, Coldwell Banker Realty, & Sarah Ware, Ware Realty Group; 5. Antje 

Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners; 6. Erinn Hutkin, Clayton Hines, Joan Locascio, & Amethyst Canady, 

Fulton Grace Realty. 

4 

5 

6 

SPONSORED BY: 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 9 

1. Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , 

& Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners; 2. Sonia Anaya, America 

Real Estate, & Nancy Suvarnamani, Century 21 S.G.R.; 3. Kali 

Klisures, Written Word Media, & Jeanette Zaragoza-Gonzalez, 

The Federal Savings Bank; 4. Erika Villegas, RE/MAX In the 

Village, & Miguel Angel Fernandez, REALTOR ® Association of 

the Fox Valley; 5. Fosta Wilson, EXIT Strategy Realty, Moses Hall, 

MoHall Commercial and Urban Development, & Carmen Urban, 

@properties; 6. Sally Delgado, Realty of Chicago, Elizabeth Aguilar, 

Vylla Home, Linette Corona, Realty of Chicago, & Mary Buitron, 

Realty of Chicago; 7. Natasha Robinson & Jertheus Butts, Coldwell 

Banker Realty, Siobhan Robinson, Chicago Mobile Realty, & 

Lamont Ellebb, Champagne Closings; 8. R’che Feon, Redefining 

Legacy Realty LLC, & Sheena Baker, COMPASS; 9. Edna Barrera 

& Aracely Palomino, The Federal Savings Bank. 


1 2 3 4 

5 6 

2021 REALTOR ® AWARDS 

At the 138 th Annual Inaugural Gala, the real estate 

community gathered to honor exceptional members 

of our Chicago REALTOR ® family. Congratulations to 

the recipients of the 2021 REALTOR ® Awards and the 

2021 President’s Awards. 

7 8 

1. Hipolito Garcia, Caliber Home Loans, & Tommy Choi, 

Keller Williams ONEChicago; 2. Michelle Mills Clement, 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , Nykea Pippion 

McGriff, Coldwell Banker Realty, & Tommy Choi, Keller 

Williams ONEChicago; 3. Michelle Mills Clement, 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , & Marty Walsh, 

Dream Town Realty; 4. Mabél Guzmán, Coldwell Banker 

Realty, & Tommy Choi, Keller Williams ONEChicago; 

5. Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago Association of 

REALTORS ® , Magda Antillon, Realty of Chicago LLC, & 

Tommy Choi, Keller Williams ONEChicago; 6. Michelle 

Mills Clement, Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , 

Grace Kaage, COMPASS, & Tommy Choi, Keller Williams 

ONEChicago; 7. Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago 

Association of REALTORS ® , Deena Zimmerman, SVN 

Chicago Commercial, & Tommy Choi, Keller Williams 

ONEChicago; 8. Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago 

Association of REALTORS ® , Vicky Silvano, Baird & 

Warner, & Tommy Choi, Keller Williams ONEChicago; 

9. Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago Association of 

REALTORS ® , Eduardo Garcia, Realty of Chicago LLC, 

& Tommy Choi, Keller Williams ONEChicago. 


9 

Photos by Marcello Rodarte, Marcello Rodarte 

Photography and Jack Lane, LANE Media 

See all the videos, photos and speeches 

from the 138 th Inaugural Gala. 

2021 AFFILIATE OF THE YEAR: 

HIPOLITO GARCIA, Caliber Home Loans 

2021 REALTOR ® ACHIEVEMENT: 

MABÉL GUZMÁN, Coldwell Banker Realty 

MARTY WALSH, Dream Town Realty 

2021 COMMERCIAL ACHIEVEMENT: 

DEENA ZIMMERMAN, SVN Chicago Commercial 

2021 REALTOR ® COMMUNITY SERVICE: 

EDUARDO GARCIA, Realty of Chicago LLC 

GRACE KAAGE, COMPASS 

2021 MANAGING BROKER OF THE YEAR 

(1-50 licensees): 

MAGDA ANTILLON, Realty of Chicago LLC 

2021 MANAGING BROKER OF THE YEAR 

(51+ licensees): 

JOSEPH SICILIANO, COMPASS 

2021 INDUSTRY PARTNER MEMBER AWARD: 

VICKY SILVANO, Baird & Warner 

2021 BRIAN A. BERNARDONI POLITICAL 

ADVOCACY AWARD: 

NYKEA PIPPION McGRIFF, Coldwell Banker Realty 

2021 BRIAN A. BERNARDONI PUBLIC POLICY 

AWARD: LEGISLATOR OF THE YEAR 

Illinois House of Representatives Speaker 

EMANUEL "CHRIS" WELCH 

2021 REALTOR ® OF THE YEAR 

MAURICE HAMPTON, Centered International Realty 

2021 PRESIDENT’S AWARD RECIPIENTS: 

SONIA ANAYA, NIKIA FITCH, XAVIER O. JOY, 

ARTHUR McGRIFF, ZEKE MORRIS, REBECCA 

THOMSON 

2021 XAVIER O. JOY PRESIDENTIAL 

INSPIRATION AWARD 

XAVIER O. JOY

2 

3 

1. Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , 

Maurice Hampton, Centered International Realty, & Tommy 

Choi, Keller Williams ONEChicago; 2. Nick Libert, Suman Saha 

& Natasha Murphy, EXIT Strategy Realty; 3. Erik Schwab, 

Corcoran Urban Real Estate; 4. Michelle Shang & Rebecca 

Thomson, Coldwell Banker Realty, Amy Duong Kim, COMPASS, 

& Ayoub Rabah, Coldwell Banker Realty; 5. Kevin Brannon, Alex 

Wolking & Kam Rozwadowski, Keller Williams ONEChicago, 

Ellie Korengel & Seth Williams, Interior Drama, Adam Kriticos, 

Cross Country Mortgage, & Tanya Sinclair, Sinclair & Groat Law; 

6. Bob Eby & Michael Gobber, CENTURY 21 Affiliated, Antje 

Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners, & Giovanni Arenella, CENTURY 21 

Affiliated; 7. Sara O’Connor, Greater Illinois Title Company, 

Antonia Mills Wesselink, Antonia L. Mills Attorney at Law, 

& guest Adam Wesselink; 8. Jimena Sayavedra, Newmark; 

9. James D. Letchinger, JDL Development & guests Stephanie 

Letchinger and Joey Letchinger. 

4 

1 

5 

6 

7 

8 9 

Golfers doing what they do. 

Photos by Marcello Rodarte, Marcello Rodarte Photography and 

Jack Lane, LANE Media 


On-Demand 

Video Library 

ChicagoREALTOR.com/OnDemand 

Get access to the tools and 

information you need for your 

business success anytime, from 

anywhere, exclusively for you, 

through our on-demand video 

resource library! 

REALTOR ® TOOLS 

• Protecting Yourself in Today's Cyber 

Landscape 

• Virtual Real Estate Panel 

• Virtual Tech Toolbox 

• Financial Wellness Bootcamp 

• Stress Management & Mental Wellness 

COMMUNITY RESOURCES 

• Insurance for Communities in Need 

• Property Tax Appeal Workshop 

• Chicago’s New Improvement Initiative: 

Invest South/West Webinar 

• Zoning 101 

• Preparing for ADUs in Chicago 

COVID-19 GUIDANCE 

• Re-Opening Your Office Safely 

& Successfully 

• Vaccine Town Hall 

TITANS OF INDUSTRY SERIES 

• The Balancing Act – A Conversation 

with Female Broker Owners 

• Meet CAR’s All Female Executive Team 

• Generating Multiple Streams of Income 

RACE & REAL ESTATE 

• Conversation with Richard Rothstein, 

Author of The Color Of Law 

• Race in the REALTOR ® Association 

• Race in Real Estate: The Asian American 

Experience 

• Race in Real Estate: A Conversation with 

Natalie Moore 

• Diversifying Homeownership: Women, 

Millennials & Minorities 

• Black History Month Commemoration 

NEW • Race in Real Estate: The Latin American 

Experience 

FAIR HOUSING 

• Fair Housing in Chicago: “I’m Sorry” — 

The Story Behind CAR’s Apology 

FAIR HOUSING Continued 

• The Color Tax: Origins of the Modern- 

Day Racial Wealth Gap 

• The Wealth Gap and Homeownership” 

What REALTORS ® Need to Know 

• Fireside Chat with US Secretary of Housing 

& Urban Development Marcia Fudge 

• Inside Newsday’s Long Island Investigation 

• Fair Housing: Our Impact, Our Opportunity 

COMMERCIALFORUM 

POWER LUNCHES 

NEW • Introducing the Brand-New 

Legal Library 

NEW • How Chicago’s Reassessment is 

Impacting the Commercial Market 

• Power Up with RPR ® Commercial 

• CRE in Quarantine 

• Managing Properties in Unstable Times 

• Reshuffling the Supply Chain 

• Community-Focused CRE Development 

• How to Kickstart Your Commercial 

Real Estate Career 

• Corporate Real Estate Market Pulse 

• Diversity Summit 

• A Beginner’s Guide to South Side CRE 

GLOBAL REAL ESTATE 

• 2021 New Residential Development Tour 

• Ask the Attorney: Global Edition 

• The State of the Market in Canada 

& Mexico 

• The State of Inbound Market 

• Improving the Title Process – 

A Blockchain Update 

• The State of Asian American 

Homeownership 

SUSTAINABILITY 

NEW 

• The Sustainable Future of Chicago 

NEW 

• Climate, Justice, Clean Energy & 

Your Communities 

• The Future of Electric Vehicles In Chicago 

• How to Make an Old Home Green 

• Make 2021 the Year You Go Green 

• The Ultimate Solar Panel 

• How Does Community Solar Work? 

• Enhancing Your Capital Stack with 

C-PACE Financing 

• Building Sustainable Lifestyles & 

Business Practices 

• Energy Saving Solutions REALTORS ® 

Can Use 

YPN #THRIVE: A CONVERSATION 

ABOUT SUCCESS WITH INDUSTRY 

LEADERS 

• Tommy Choi 

• Nick Libert 

• Sam Powell 

• Michelle Mills Clement 

• Chris Pezza 

• Melanie Giglio 

• Jessica Sivels 

• Sheena Baker 

• Erin Mandel 

• Maurice Hampton 

• Ben Lalez 

• Nykea Pippion McGriff 

• I Grow Chicago 

YPN VIRTUAL BREAKFAST SERIES 

• Financial Literacy 

• Rising Stars 

• Scaling Your Business 

• Building a Professional Presence 

• Digital Domination 

• Navigating a Changing Market 

• 30 Under 30 

• Strategic Brand Presence 

• Lending Updates in 2020 

• Objection Handling 

• Top Producer Panel 

• Navigating a Changing Market 

PARTNER PANELS 

• Title Companies 

• Lenders 

• Now You Are Essential 


REALTORS ® Real Estate School 

Upcoming Classes 

Your expertise is one of your greatest assets! Channel your inner real estate nerd, zero in on your professional 

development goals and sign up for a topic that excites you. Check out these upcoming classes designed to 

cultivate, support and grow your business. Register: CHICAGOREALTOR.COM/EDUCATION 

SHORT-SALES 

& Foreclosure Resource 

Certification (SFR) 

ROADMAP 

of a Transaction 

REAL ESTATE 

Investing 

January 13 

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM 

Members: $130 

6 Hours Elective CE 

LIVE 

WEBINAR 

January 25 

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM 

Members: $40 

CLASSROOM 

February 1 

9:00 AM – 5:30 PM 

Members: $130 

CLASSROOM 

ACCREDITED 

Buyer’s Representative 

Designation (ABR) 

REAL ESTATE 

Negotiation Expert 

Certification (RENE) 

ESSENTIALS 

of Property Management 

February 16-17 

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM 

Members: $280 

12 Hours Elective CE 

LIVE 

WEBINAR 

March 8-9 

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM 

Members: $275 

LIVE 

WEBINAR 

April 4-6 

9:00 AM – 4:00 PM 

Members: $119 

LIVE 

WEBINAR 

PLEASE NOTE: This schedule and class location/format is subject to change in response to evolving COVID-19-related guidance. 

YOU DESERVE THE BEST. 

WE’VE GOT IT. 

CHOOSE YOUR FORMAT 

Custom Electives Designed For Chicago REALTORS ® 

Local, Subject-Matter Expert Instructors 

CAR Member Discounts 

Our classes are designed to fit any schedule. Choose 

between in-person, live webinar and self-paced formats. 

LIVE Virtual & In-Person Options 

Self-Paced Classes To Knock Out Whenever You Want 

ChicagoREALTOR.com/BrokerCE 

SELF-PACED 

• Complete Anytime 

• Instructor-Free 

• Online Course Modules 

LIVE WEBINAR CLASSROOM 

• Instructor 

• Instructor 

• Online Course Modules • In-Person 

• Virtual Chat & Classroom 

• Classroom Location 


the buzz 

We Hear You! 

Tweet 

Tweet 

Tweet 

Ald. Raymond Lopez 

@RLopez15thWard 

Great turnout this morning for 

@ChicagoREALTORS Foundation 5K! 

I miss running these events throughout 

the city. 

Out&About 

> NAHREP Chicago. Sending a huge thank you to our vendor partner 

Chicago Association of REALTORS for an amazing event and great tribute 

to Hispanic Heritage Month!!! We are so grateful for your partnership and 

inclusion of NAHREP Chicago for this event. 

ChicagoREALTORS ChicagoREALTORS Chicago Association of REALTORS Chicago Association of REALTORS 


An abundance of thanks to our entire team 

for making 2021 our best year yet! 

And a special welcome to the 88 brokers who joined our Dream Town family this year ♥ 

Discover why hundreds of brokers choose Dream Town 

dreamtown.com/careers 

Lincoln Park 

Lincoln Square 

4 1950 Chicago N Sedgwick REALTOR ® Magazine4553 N Lincoln 

West Loop 

849 W Monroe 

Edison Park 

7280 W Devon 

Evanston 

1567 Maple

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