# Chicago has 3,041 buildings under demolition orders. Its new forfeiture program has returned seven to the tax rolls this year *At Tuesday's budget hearing, the Buildings commissioner also said a standard plan-review permit takes 88 days on average and that 33 inspector jobs are vacant. Here is what alderpersons asked, with the video.* By Chicago Politics · Updated Oct 29, 2026 The City has returned seven vacant buildings to private ownership and the property tax rolls so far this year through its new forfeiture program, all of them in Englewood, Buildings Commissioner Marlene Hopkins told the City Council's budget committee Tuesday. Meanwhile, 3,041 buildings across Chicago have an active demolition order. Why it matters: vacant, decaying buildings drag down blocks, draw complaints and cost the City money to secure or tear down. The forfeiture program is the City's newest tool for getting them fixed up and lived in instead, and Tuesday's numbers show how early it is. The exchange came during the Department of Buildings' hearing on its proposed 2027 budget, the first department up Tuesday. Video and a transcript are on our [meeting page](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/851CA01E-91C9-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5). ## What was said **Forfeiture.** Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) asked how many vacant buildings had gone back to private owners this year ([watch at 44:45](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/851CA01E-91C9-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5?t=2685)). Hopkins said seven, with eight more in housing court and another eight being inspected before they are referred to the Law Department. She said the program started this year, works with the Law and Housing departments, and should produce more cases in 2027. Asked how many buildings carry demolition orders, she said 3,041 ([watch at 46:49](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/851CA01E-91C9-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5?t=2809)). Reilly asked how the City would work through that list faster; Hopkins said the department is looking at what added resources it needs. **Not every order means a teardown.** When Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th) asked about the same 3,041 orders, Hopkins said courts enter many of them because no owner shows up to say they want to reinvest, which is what makes the buildings candidates for forfeiture. "We can't demo our way out," she said ([watch at 55:29](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/851CA01E-91C9-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5?t=3329)), while noting that some long-vacant buildings deteriorate to the point that they must come down. Lopez's question starts [at 54:37](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/851CA01E-91C9-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5?t=3277). **Permit times.** Reilly asked how long a standard plan-review permit takes. Hopkins said 88 days on average, about the same as past years, and that an express permit typically takes a day ([watch at 47:53](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/851CA01E-91C9-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5?t=2873)). Reilly also asked the department to analyze what the Mayor's proposed lease tax and per-employee head tax would mean for construction costs before the committee votes ([watch at 41:47](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/851CA01E-91C9-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5?t=2507)). **Inspectors.** Hopkins said the department has 33 inspector vacancies and has made 10 conditional offers; inspectors average eight inspections a day ([watch at 1:19:12](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/851CA01E-91C9-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5?t=4752)). The Council's financial analysts said the department's proposed budget is about $40.5 million, up $1.1 million, with 279 positions and a 15.64% vacancy rate ([watch at 27:15](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/851CA01E-91C9-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5?t=1635)). **Faster complaint closings.** Ald. Ruth Cruz (30th) read off year-over-year figures: vacant and abandoned building complaints now take about 28 days to close, down from 64, and building public-facility violations 26 days, down from 167 ([watch at 2:26:47](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/851CA01E-91C9-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5?t=8807)). **Money.** Asked by Ald. Monique Scott (24th), Hopkins said code enforcement fines brought in $1.8 million and permits $29.6 million through Sept. 30 ([watch at 1:55:03](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/851CA01E-91C9-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5?t=6903)). **Forfeiture versus troubled buildings.** Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th) asked how forfeiture differs from the Troubled Buildings Initiative. Hopkins said forfeiture targets vacant buildings already on the demolition track, seeking a new owner to restore them, while the Troubled Buildings Initiative focuses on multi-unit properties and brings in the Buildings, Housing and Law departments, the Chicago Housing Authority and the Community Investment Corp. ([watch at 2:31:41](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/851CA01E-91C9-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5?t=9101)). ## What our records add Our [meeting notes](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/851CA01E-91C9-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5) show Buildings drew questions from more than a dozen alderpersons. Ald. Jason Ervin (28th), the committee chair, asked the department to give each member a list of active demolition cases in their ward, and Hopkins agreed ([watch at 1:33:50](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/851CA01E-91C9-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5?t=5630)). Residents can ask their alderperson's office for that list once it arrives; find yours on our [alderpersons page](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/wards). Permit times are also a campaign theme: mayoral candidate Susana Mendoza promised Wednesday to cut approval and permitting timelines in half in a first term, the [Sun-Times reported](https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2026/10/28/mayor-election-mendoza-city-club-brandon-johnson-proposed-budget-head-tax-business-community). ## What's next - **Today, Oct. 29:** Streets and Sanitation, Transportation, Technology and Innovation, and Water Management go before the committee ([meeting page](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/31EFF839-92C9-F111-AAAE-001DD80B58E5)). - **Nov. 4:** Planning and Development and the Department of Housing, the forfeiture program's other partner. - **Dec. 8:** the Council's public hearing on the budget. *Sources: [Chicago Politics: Transcript of the Oct. 27, 2026 budget hearing](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/transcripts/1239662145.txt).* ## Sources 1. Chicago Sun-Times: [Sun-Times reported](https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2026/10/28/mayor-election-mendoza-city-club-brandon-johnson-proposed-budget-head-tax-business-community) On the map: [42nd Ward](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/42), [15th Ward](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/15), [30th Ward](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/30), [48th Ward](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/48) --- Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/on-my-block/chicago-buildings-hearing-forfeiture-seven-buildings-3041-demolition-orders · Chicago Politics, an independent tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt