Property intended for housing or businesses, such as a store, restaurant, or office. This includes mixed-use buildings, which have both commercial space and housing. 

Purchase price: 

• The market value of vacant, City-owned property listed for sale is located on ChiBlockBuilder.com.   
• If the property marketed for sale is a cluster of two or more lots, the market value is the aggregate value of the entire cluster of lots.  
• Applicants for properties requiring a Market Rate Application are expected to offer the market value listed or higher. Purchase offers less than the listed market value may be considered for proposals providing a significant public benefit. 

Name of individual or of business or non-profit

• Individuals must include their full legal first and last name. 
• Non-profits or businesses must include their legal and DBA name as registered with the Illinois Secretary of State. 

Address of residence, non-profit, or business

• Individuals must provide their primary residence address. 
• Non-profits or businesses must provide their physical business address. 

Project description

• Provide details regarding the proposed use and/or physical improvements for the subject property or site. 

Site plan

• A dimensioned and to-scale site plan that labels all proposed physical improvements, distance from lot lines, and any key activity areas is required.  

Project budget

• In addition to an itemization of the project costs, funding for the project must also be identified and secured, as well as any funding gaps. 

Demonstrated community engagement

• Applicant demonstrates that there has been communication with area residents, businesses, community organizations and alders about the project. 

Description of impact on immediate block area and surrounding community

• This should include an analysis of the anticipated benefits as well as speak to anticipated negative impacts or externalities and how they will be mitigated or addressed. 

Purchase offer

• Each application must include a proposed purchase price. With few exceptions, market rate applications are expected to offer the full market value or above for the property. 

Economic Disclosure Statement (EDS) 

• This can be completed online here. Download a PDF copy to upload to the application. 

Indebtedness check

• The applicant must not have any outstanding debts or financial obligations to the City or delinquent real estate property taxes.    
• If the applicant is a non-profit, the indebtedness check is performed on the non-profit organization and its officers. 
• If the applicant is a business, the indebtedness check is performed on all ownership interests of greater than 7.5 percent (7.5%).   

Applications are scored to assess the qualifications of the applicant and for the completeness and readiness of a project. Market rate applications will be reviewed and scored based on the overall total points from each of the below categories. If DPD determines any or all proposals for a given property fail to adequately advance planning goals, the department may select none.

DPD reserves the right to update the application scoring for each new round of market rate applications. Updates will be reflected below.

The specific criteria for each category are as follows:   

Proof of experience (0-30)

Priority is given to applicants who demonstrate qualifications of the development team, proven experience completing similar projects and capacity to execute the project as proposed in a timely manner. Project experience in the community area will be considered as well. Rubric below:

• 0 to 10                Team composition
• 0 to 10                Development team experience  
• 0 to 10                Prior development projects 

Financial capacity and feasibility (0-40)

Priority is given to projects with clear plans and designs, a realistic timeline and proof of secured funding. Project budgets should include estimated costs for any required site remediation and construction. Rubric below: 

• 0 to 10                Project readiness
• 0 to 10                Detailed budget  
• 0 to 10                Financial feasibility
• 0 to 10                Secured funding

Purchase offer amount (0-10)

Priority is given to applications that offer a reasonable purchase price that meets or exceeds the market value listed for the property or properties. Purchase offers less than market value may result in a lower application score, lower financial feasibility score and lower project readiness score. DPD may also decide to decline any application with a purchase offer less than market value. Alternatively, DPD may consider an offer less than market rate if the development meets the redevelopment goals of the community or offers additional tangible public benefits. Rubric below:

• 0 to 10                Purchase offer 

Public benefits (0-10)

Priority is given to projects that provide tangible public benefits, such as affordable housing units, new or retained jobs, new retail services in an underserved community, cultural activities, social services, fiscal benefits, innovative environmentally sustainable features, or specific priorities identified in the listing, if applicable. Applicants that are proposing site assembly with adjacent non-city owned parcels will be considered in terms of catalytic impact as well. Rubric below:

• 0 to 5                Programmatic public benefits
• 0 to 5                Fiscal, jobs and catalytic impact public benefits

Conformance to plans and community engagement (0-10)

Priority is given to projects that conform to existing plans (either adopted by the City or by the community), meet the specific priorities identified in the directed listing (if applicable), and can demonstrate engagement with elected officials, adjacent neighbors, community organizations and businesses in the block area and surrounding neighborhood. Rubric below: 

• 0 to 5                Conformance with plans
• 0 to 5                Community engagement