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August 1, 2022

A Listener is Trying to Buy a Vacant Lot Behind Her Condo. Why Is It Taking Years?

City Cast Chicago

A Listener is Trying to Buy a Vacant Lot Behind Her Condo. Why Is It Taking Years?

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If you have a vacant lot on your block, then you know what it’s like to constantly pass by the overgrown weeds and the trash. The city owns more than 10,000 of these lots alone. City Cast 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. Two years ago she started the process of buying the lot to build a bigger home for her growing family. And she’s still trying to buy it. Makema walks us through the process and explains why she thinks the city should make it easier for residents like her to build on these lots.


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


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