Ballot Referendum Question FAQ

26th Ward Ballot Non-Binding Referendum Question
November 3, 2026

“Shall new shared housing units be limited in the 26th Ward to help address Chicago’s severe rental housing shortage?”

This non-binding ballot referendum question will be on every November 3, 2026 General Election ballot of voters registered in the 26th Ward.

SR2025-0021045

Interpretation of SR2025-0021045

Definitions

SHARED HOUSING UNIT

A shared housing unit means a dwelling unit containing 6 or fewer sleeping rooms that is rented for 31 days or fewer (Illinois Municipal Code 4-14-010). Sites like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com are common examples of where shared housing units are offered.

Shared housing units do NOT include single-room occupancy buildings, hotels, bed-and-breakfast establishments, guest suites, vacation rentals, conversion units, or coach houses lawfully established after May 1, 2021.

City of Chicago’s Guide to Shared Housing Registration 

NON-BINDING REFERENDUM QUESTION

A non-binding referendum question is a question to gauge voter support for a particular policy proposal.

Ballot referendum questions are a tool of self-determination, allowing residents to voice their opinion about a specific topic.

This ballot referendum question addresses just one potential solution of hundreds of solutions that we will need to employ until housing is a human right.

This ballot referendum question will be on every ballot of voters registered in the 26th Ward.

Background

The 26th Ward has hosted multiple housing town halls to seek feedback on housing issues in the ward, such as displacement, affordability, and the increasing scarcity of naturally occurring affordable rental housing. We learned that:

  • Residents want more housing for families, not tourists.

  • Families are being displaced by demolitions, deconversions, and luxury developments.

  • A symptom of displacement is cultural loss, which we have seen in neighborhoods like Wicker Park, Chinatown, and Pilsen.

  • The neighborhoods experiencing the most cultural loss and housing turnover are also those with the most homes being pulled from the long-term rental market.

  • The city as a whole has a 200,000 rental housing unit shortage and an affordable rental crisis.

  • The 26th Ward currently has 105 shared housing units, 135% higher than the citywide ward average of 77.

Voter Registration & Resources