The City of Chicago is home to thousands of vacant lots. Most of these lots are privately-owned. However, many of them are owned by the City of Chicago. To determine if a lot is owned privately or by the city, visit www.cityofchicago.org/zoning, go to the zoning map, and use the check boxes on the right to highlight city-owned parcels. Streets and Sanitation can not legally enter onto privately-owned property without entering a legal process. In most cases, the owner is repeatedly cited until the lot is brought into compliance with the city’s Sanitation Code.
If you are interested in purchasing a city-owned lot, you can do so be completing a negotiated sales application form. If you own an owner-occupied building next door to a city-owned vacant lot, you may be eligible to receive a discounted price through the Adjacent Neighbor’s Land Acquisition Program (ANLAP). More information about purchasing city lots including the application forms, can be found at www.cityofchicago.org.
To report issues with vacant lots, please call 311 or contact Harriette Mimms at (773) 373-9273 or harriette.mimms@cityofchicago.org or fill out the form below.