During a budget hearing last month, Department of Planning and Development Commissioner Maurice D. Cox said the city has 4,000 vacant lots that are clean and ready for sale. He also promised a more streamlined process in purchasing those lots. City Cast Chicago listener Makema Adkins has one of these city-owned lots behind her condo on the Near West Side, where she’s lived for over a decade. In 2020, she started the process of buying the lot to build a bigger home for her growing family, but it was going frustratingly slow. We revisit our August conversation with Makema about why she thinks the city should make it easier for residents like her to build on these lots. We also get an update on where she is with her new home.

Parts of this episode were originally published Aug. 1, 2022.

Makema texted us with her question, and you can too! Reach out or leave a voicemail at (773) 780-0246.

Some news: Today is the last day to request a mail-in ballot. And applications are now open to replace George Cardenas as 12th Ward alderperson.

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So You Want to Build a House on a Vacant Lot?