General housing and real estate news
Scaffolding near the corner of Broadway and Wall Street in 2017. The mayor said the new rules would particularly open up NYCHA campuses, where buildings are tall and open grounds are shared by residents. [ more › ]
The sign near an entrance to the Rikers Island jail complex. A new report released by advocates outlines the significant benefits of transforming Rikers into a renewable energy hub and wastewater treatment center. [ more › ]
ICE agents during the arrest of a Columbia student. The video comports with statements previously provided by the NYPD. [ more › ]
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan—a time when Muslims come together for prayer, shared meals, charity, and moments with family and community. After a month of fasting from dawn to sunset, Eid arrives as a celebration and a time of togetherness for Chicago’s Muslim communities, w
The University of Illinois (UI) system’s administration emailed department heads on October 14 that it was pulling funding for scholarships awarded to students based on race. Jeremiah Abiade, head of a program created to support Black students pursuing careers in science and engineering at the colle
On November 1, 2025, I saw an incredible show at the Empty Bottle as part of the club’s 33⅓ Anniversary Series. The concert also celebrated the release of a new box set of live recordings from the Empty Bottle Jazz & Improvised Music Series, which John Corbett and Ken Vandermark ran from 1996 till 2
A homeless teen panhandles on a street near Eighth Avenue in Manhattan on May 18, 2015 in New York City. The mayor's proposed spending plan cuts money for housing specialists who connect homeless teens to housing and services. [ more › ]
A panel of judges said a law banning discrimination against Section 8 recipients actually violates landlord rights. [ more › ]
I grew up on Chicago’s south side, in the heart of Little Village, surrounded by the sounds of paleteros ringing the bells of their ice cream carts, the bright colors of freshly cut fruit, and the aroma of tamales filling the streets. The bells meant summer. They meant joy. They meant children runni
The sidewalk outside the Bellevue shelter Thursday. The men’s homeless shelter on 30th Street has the capacity for 850 beds. [ more › ]
Morning, Noon, and Night, through 3/28, Shattered Globe Theatre at Theater Wit The post An AI character comes to life in Morning, Noon, and Night appeared first on Chicago Reader.
Charges (The Supplicants), through 4/12 at Theatre Y The post Theatre Y’s Charges (The Supplicants) updates Aeschylus for the urgency of our times appeared first on Chicago Reader.
The Bellevue homeless shelter in Midtown Manhattan in July 14, 2010 The massive structure has received complaints for years about poor conditions and safety. [ more › ]
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Winter Series, which ran February 26 to March 1 at the Harris Theater, featured a mixed bill of three full company works by Amy Hall Garner, Juel D. Lane, and Nacho Duato. The works by Garner and Duato were created on different cohorts of the company, 17 years apart. I
Visiting Second Story Bar is like stepping into a time machine that takes you somewhere that shouldn’t exist at the place and time that it does. Its low-key Streeterville entrance feels like a secret—yes, it’s up those dingy, carpeted stairs—and leads to a cozy, cash-only joint with a mere 36-person
If you feel like tasting food from the motherland, you don’t have to travel as far as you might think. In the heart of Hyde Park is Mahari, a charming restaurant that hits the vibes and flavors of the African diaspora with a Creole interpretation. “Mahari” means “gift” in Swahili, and Chef Rahim Muh
Walking into Bueno Days, the first thing you notice is the sound. It doesn’t have the quiet, screen-glow stillness most coffee shops chase. People are greeting someone they know, catching up at the community table, moving through the space as if it belongs to them. It feels like the heart of Little
Local businesses are often cornerstones of Chicago neighborhoods, creating spaces that foster community and connection. There are just a handful tucked into the corners of my far south-side neighborhood—including the renowned sandwich shop, Home of the Hoagy—but one of my favorites is Erin’s Cup & C
More than 600 vacant NYCHA apartments were taken over by squatters over the last few years as the number of empty public housing units spiked, a frustrating trend for the 165,000 applicants stalled on the authority’s waiting list. The city Department of Investigation (DOI) released a report Tuesday
Guides
Practical tips and guides for renters