# 26th Ward voters back limits on new Airbnbs, 74% to 26%. What it would take to turn that into a ban

*Ald. Jessie Fuentes says she will draft legislation limiting new short-term rentals by precinct. The Council has passed 93 precinct bans this year, every one without a no vote, but none yet in her ward.*

By Chicago Politics · Updated Nov 5, 2026

Voters in the 26th Ward said yes, by about three to one, to limiting new short-term rentals such as Airbnb and Vrbo listings. With all but one precinct reporting Wednesday morning, the advisory question had 8,053 yes votes to 2,812 no, about 74%, according to Chicago Board of Elections figures reported by [Block Club Chicago](https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/11/04/neighbors-signal-strong-support-for-limiting-new-airbnbs-in-logan-square-humboldt-park/).

Why it matters: the question doesn't change any law by itself. But Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th), who put it on the ballot, has said a yes vote would lead her to propose limits. The ward covers most of Humboldt Park and parts of Logan Square, Hermosa and Belmont Cragin, where rents and displacement have been a long-running concern.

This follows [our Oct. 30 story](/on-my-block/26th-ward-airbnb-short-term-rental-referendum-november-3-restricted-zones) on the question.

## What Fuentes says comes next

"We would then subsequently draft legislation that would limit Airbnbs in the precincts," Fuentes told Block Club. Any limit would apply only to new rentals; existing licensed ones wouldn't be affected, Block Club reported.

Fuentes has cited a City licensing database showing 108 active Airbnb rentals in the ward, more than the average per ward. Airbnb told Block Club it accounts for about 1% of the ward's housing.

## What our records add

**The tool already exists.** Chicago law lets the Council declare a precinct a "restricted residential zone," where no new shared housing units or vacation rentals can be licensed. As we reported last month, a precinct ban starts with a petition signed by 25% of the precinct's registered voters, according to Block Club.

**How often the Council uses it.** Our records show 93 restricted-zone ordinances with final action so far in 2026. All passed, and none drew a single no vote. The latest batch came Oct. 14, when the Council approved 22 precinct zones in the neighboring 31st Ward, sponsored by Ald. Felix Cardona Jr. ([O2026-0028774](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/O2026-0028774-2nd-precinct-31st-ward-restricted-residential) is one), and one in the 15th Ward from Ald. Raymond Lopez ([O2026-0028923](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/O2026-0028923-16th-precinct-15th-ward-restricted-residential)). Each passed 49 to 0.

How each ward voted: [O2026-0028774](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/O2026-0028774-2nd-precinct-31st-ward-restricted-residential)

Other wards with zones approved this year include the 41st, 23rd and 29th. None is in the 26th Ward. Still pending: Ald. Marty Quinn's (13th) renewal of zones covering the 1st through 40th precincts of his ward, introduced Oct. 14 and sent to committee ([O2026-0029469](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/O2026-0029469-renewal-1st-through-40th-precincts-13th)).

**How the question got there.** The Council adopted Fuentes's resolution putting the question on the ballot 49 to 0 in July ([SR2025-0021045](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/SR2025-0021045-submission-public-question-referendum-chicago-voters)).

## What the vote doesn't settle

- **Which precincts.** Fuentes has said limits would apply by precinct. Block Club's results are for the ward as a whole, so precinct-level support will matter if she uses the petition route.
- **A wider rule.** An ordinance covering the whole ward would be different from the precinct-by-precinct zones the Council has passed so far. Block Club has reported that a 2025 effort to make precinct bans easier stalled.
- **When.** We found no new shared-housing ordinance from Fuentes in the Clerk's records Thursday morning.

## What's next

- **Late November:** the vote count becomes official, within 21 days of the election.
- **Committee on License and Consumer Protection:** restricted-zone ordinances go there first; it next meets [Nov. 17](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3D6ED0BF-DDD6-F111-A05C-001DD80FDA55).
- **Dec. 8:** the next regular Council meeting, when new ordinances can be introduced.

The [26th Ward page](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/26) tracks Fuentes's legislation and votes.

*Sources: [Block Club Chicago: Referendum asks 26th Ward residents to weigh in on limiting new Airbnbs](https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/10/29/referendum-asks-26th-ward-residents-to-weigh-in-on-limiting-new-airbnbs/).*


## Legislation in this story

- [Designation of 2nd Precinct of 31st Ward as Restricted Residential Zone prohibiting additional shared housing units](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/O2026-0028774-2nd-precinct-31st-ward-restricted-residential) (O2026-0028774)

## Sources

1. City Clerk: [O2026-0028774: Designation of 2nd Precinct of 31st Ward as Restricted Residential Zone prohibiting additional shared housing units](https://chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov/Matter/?matterId=D0972463-63B7-F111-AAAC-001DD80FDA55)
2. City Clerk: [O2026-0028774, Legislation: w31 - o28774.pdf](https://occprodstoragev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/matterattachmentspublic/a2401946-40a7-4857-a22d-68d262e9a565.pdf)
3. City Clerk: [O2026-0028774, Committee Letter: 31st Ward Restricted Residential Zones Letter.pdf](https://occprodstoragev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/matterattachmentspublic/cd9e5581-1232-47c6-962b-7bca66c5dd60.pdf)
4. City of Chicago: [City Council, Oct 14, 2026: meeting video](https://vimeo.com/1235564993)
5. City Clerk: [City Council, Oct 14, 2026: Notice](https://occprodstoragev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/meetingattachmentspublic/5dc2983c-30bc-f111-aaae-001dd803894a.pdf)
6. City Clerk: [City Council, Oct 14, 2026: Agenda](https://occprodstoragev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/meetingattachmentspublic/7ad74e3d-811e-4504-93a7-a7d70d4cff3b.pdf)
7. Block Club Chicago: [Block Club Chicago](https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/11/04/neighbors-signal-strong-support-for-limiting-new-airbnbs-in-logan-square-humboldt-park/)
8. Block Club Chicago: [Block Club Chicago: Referendum asks 26th Ward residents to weigh in on limiting new Airbnbs](https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/10/29/referendum-asks-26th-ward-residents-to-weigh-in-on-limiting-new-airbnbs/)
9. Chicago Politics: [O2026-0028774: votes, timeline and summary](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/O2026-0028774-2nd-precinct-31st-ward-restricted-residential)
10. Chicago Politics: [City Council, Oct 14, 2026: transcript](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/transcripts/1235564993.txt)
11. City of Chicago: [Neighborhood and community area boundaries (Chicago Data Portal)](https://data.cityofchicago.org/d/y6yq-dbs2)

On the map: [Humboldt Park](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/on-my-block/neighborhoods/humboldt-park), [Logan Square](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/on-my-block/neighborhoods/logan-square), [Hermosa](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/on-my-block/neighborhoods/hermosa), [Belmont Cragin](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/on-my-block/neighborhoods/belmont-cragin), [26th Ward](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/26), [31st Ward](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/31), [15th Ward](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/15)

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Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/on-my-block/26th-ward-voters-back-airbnb-limits-74-percent-fuentes-restricted-zones-next · Chicago Politics, an independent tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt