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Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Cook County Land Bank transfers 171 tax-delinquent properties to Chicago Heights

Local Government

Since January, the Cook County Land Bank has deeded 171 formerly tax delinquent properties to Chicago Heights, including 28 residential structures and six commercial buildings, according to a City Wire analysis of records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.

The Land Bank has come under federal investigation and heavy scrutiny from investigative reporters in recent years.

In December —  two days after federal prosecutors charged a former employee with profiting from a sophisticated crime involving Land Bank properties — Land Bank officials received the results of an internal operational assessment that found the agency lacked processes for formally documenting the purchase, maintenance and sale of tax-delinquent property, among other things.

City Wire obtained, through the Freedom of Information Act, a record of all Land Bank purchases and sales since 2013, when the land bank was created.

The data shows a bulk of the properties transferred to Chicago Heights by the Land Bank this year included wide swaths of vacant residential land in the East Side neighborhood, which city leaders for decades have struggled to revitalize. 

Entire empty blocks, commercial buildings, industrial property and a dilapidated apartment building formerly home to a first-floor mini mart at 182 E. 14th Street were among the properties ceded to Chicago Heights city leaders.

Efforts to redevelop the former working-class neighborhood and the adjacent, once bustling downtown area have had modest success in recent years.

In 2017, The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded Chicago Heights a $350,000 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant to partially fund revitalization plans Downtown and the East Side Neighborhoods.

In 2020, city and county leaders announced plans and grant funding to develop the former St. James Hospital property at Halsted Street and Lincoln Highway into 82 apartments for low-income veterans.

Chicago Heights Mayor David Gonzalez's Abandoned Property Acquisition Program is charged with finding people and developers interested in obtaining the deed to tax-delinquent property.

Interested buyers apply to acquire land with a $5,000 deposit in an escrow fund used to pay for legal fees necessary to acquire a property's deed, according to the Chicago Heights Economic Development Corporation.

The not-for-profit group run by Jack Hynes, a political operative connected to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, actively promotes the APAP on its website.

So far, the city has received more than 270 applications to acquire property. More than 80 of the properties had returned to the tax rolls as of November 2022.

Land TypeAddressCityLand Bank

Purchase

Sold to Chicago Heights
Residential Land45 W 14th PlChicago Heights8/18/142023-01-24
Residential Land231 E 15th StChicago Heights2/19/152023-01-09
Residential Land1504 Portland AveChicago Heights1/14/162023-01-17
Residential Land253 202nd StChicago Heights3/14/162023-01-24
Residential Land88 E 12TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/7/162023-01-24
Residential Land83 E 14th StChicago Heights5/7/162023-01-24
Residential Land566 W 16th PlChicago Heights5/7/162023-01-24
Residential Land180 E 26th StChicago Heights7/25/162023-01-23
Residential Land158 E 16th StChicago Heights12/2/162023-01-17
Residential Land1616 BUTLER STCHICAGO HEIGHTS7/13/172023-01-17
Residential Land1526 WALLACE STCHICAGO HEIGHTS7/13/172023-01-17
Residential Land1505 WALLACE STCHICAGO HEIGHTS7/13/172023-01-24
Residential Land1412 EMERALD AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS7/13/172023-01-24
Residential Structure273 MAPLE AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS8/18/172023-01-23
Residential Land33 FOREST AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS11/21/172023-01-23
Residential Land1429 Emerald AveChicago Heights2/13/20182023-01-09
Residential Land1543 THORN STCHICAGO HEIGHTS3/9/20182023-01-24
Residential Land1512 S Wallace StChicago Heights5/8/20182023-01-17
Residential Land1506 WALLACE STCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/15/20182023-01-06
Commercial Improved1648 E END AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS10/30/20182023-01-24
Residential Improved1334 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS7/18/20192023-01-23
Residential Land1425 CENTER AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS9/4/20192023-01-06
Residential Land1332 LINCOLN AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS9/6/20192023-01-23
Residential Land1450 CENTER AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS9/24/20192023-01-09
Residential Land1446 CENTER AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS9/24/20192023-01-09
Residential Land1434 CENTER AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS9/24/20192023-01-09
Residential Land1531 WALLACE STCHICAGO HEIGHTS9/24/20192023-01-17
Residential Land1512 WALLACE STCHICAGO HEIGHTS9/24/20192023-01-17
Residential Land1303 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS9/24/20192023-01-20
Residential Land1336 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS9/24/20192023-01-23
Residential Land1322 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS9/24/20192023-01-23
Residential Land1307 WASHINGTON STCHICAGO HEIGHTS9/24/20192023-01-23
Residential Land1303 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS9/24/20192023-01-23
Residential Land1330 WENTWORTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS9/24/20192023-05-04
Residential Land1445 5th AveCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/15/20192023-01-09
Residential Land235 E 17TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/15/20192023-01-17
Residential Land231 E 17TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/15/20192023-01-17
Commercial Land325 LINCOLN HWYCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/15/20192023-01-20
Commercial Land294 E 14TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/15/20192023-01-20
Commercial Land254 LINCOLN HWYCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/15/20192023-01-20
Commercial Land1427 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS11/15/20192023-01-20
Residential Land249 E 17TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/15/20192023-01-20
Residential Land243 E 17TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/15/20192023-01-20
Residential Land241 17TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/15/20192023-01-20
Commercial Land335 14TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/22/20192023-01-09
Residential Land1422 14TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/22/20192023-01-09
Residential Land1632 STEWART AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS11/22/20192023-01-17
Residential Land1630 STEWART AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS11/22/20192023-01-17
Residential Land1628 STEWART AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS11/22/20192023-01-17
Residential Land1620 STEWART AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS11/22/20192023-01-17
Residential Land1618 STEWART AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS11/22/20192023-01-17
Residential Land1616 STEWART AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS11/22/20192023-01-17
Residential Land1515 STEWART AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS11/22/20192023-01-17
Residential Land297 17TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/22/20192023-01-24
Residential Land293 17TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/22/20192023-01-24
Residential Land287 E 17TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/22/20192023-01-24
Residential Structure295 E 17TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/22/20192023-01-25
Residential Land1518 WALLACE STCHICAGO HEIGHTS12/11/20192023-01-17
Residential Land1516 WALLACE STCHICAGO HEIGHTS12/11/20192023-01-17
Residential Land1442 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/11/20192023-01-17
Residential Land1441 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/11/20192023-01-17
Residential Land1427 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/11/20192023-01-17
Residential Land1422 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/11/20192023-01-17
Residential Land1433 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/11/20192023-01-20
Residential Land1419 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/11/20192023-01-20
Residential Land1417 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/11/20192023-01-20
Residential Land1413 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/11/20192023-01-20
Residential Land1421 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/11/20192023-01-24
Residential Land1415 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/11/20192023-02-28
Residential Land1435 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/12/20192023-01-17
Residential Land1431 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/12/20192023-01-17
Residential Structure1443 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/12/20192023-01-17
Residential Land1436 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/12/20192023-01-20
Residential Land1434 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/12/20192023-01-20
Residential Land1422 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/12/20192023-01-20
Residential Land1411 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/12/20192023-01-20
Residential Structure1430 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/12/20192023-01-20
Residential Structure1424 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/12/20192023-01-20
Residential Land1414 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/12/20192023-01-23
Residential Land1412 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/12/20192023-01-23
Residential Land1429 PARNELL AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/15/20202023-01-09
Commercial Land251 14TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS1/15/20202023-01-23
Commercial Land203 14TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS1/15/20202023-01-23
Industrial Land207 E 14TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS1/15/20202023-01-23
Residential Land1332 SHIELDS AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/15/20202023-01-23
Residential Land1319 SHIELDS AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/15/20202023-01-23
Residential Structure1322 SHIELDS AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/15/20202023-01-23
Industrial Land1401 CENTER AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-09
Industrial Land1401 CENTER AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-09
Residential Land1443 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-09
Residential Land1441 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-09
Residential Land1439 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-09
Residential Land1437 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-09
Residential Land1435 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-09
Residential Land1423 CENTER AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-09
Residential Land1421 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-17
Residential Structure1423 CENTER AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-17
Residential Land1431 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-20
Residential Land1429 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-20
Residential Land1424 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-20
Residential Land1423 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-20
Residential Land1330 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-23
Residential Land1326 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-23
Residential Land1302 PORTLAND AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS1/21/20202023-01-23
Residential Land1508 ARNOLD STCHICAGO HEIGHTS2/3/20202023-01-20
Residential Land1413 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS2/3/20202023-01-20
Industrial Land1433 WEST END AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS3/4/20202023-01-09
Industrial Land1421 EAST END AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS3/4/20202023-01-09
Industrial Land1417 E END AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS3/4/20202023-01-09
Industrial Land1417 E END AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS3/4/20202023-01-09
Industrial Land1407 EMERALD AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS3/4/20202023-01-09
Residential Land1439 LOWE AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS3/4/20202023-01-09
Residential Land1435 E END AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS3/4/20202023-01-09
Residential Land1431 E END AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS3/4/20202023-01-09
Residential Land1410 LOWE AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS3/4/20202023-01-09
Residential Land123 15TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS3/4/20202023-01-09
Commercial Land229 14TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS3/4/20202023-01-23
Commercial Structure201 Lincoln HwyChicago Heights3/4/20202023-01-23
Industrial Land1425 HALSTED AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS3/4/20202023-01-24
Industrial Land1413 PARK AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS3/4/20202023-01-24
Commercial Land323 14TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS3/4/20202023-02-22
Mixed-Use182 E 14TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS6/30/20202023-01-06
Residential Land1430 WALLACE STCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/11/20202023-01-06
Residential Land1414 WALLACE STCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/11/20202023-01-06
Residential Land1510 ARNOLD STCHICAGO HEIGHTS11/11/20202023-01-20
Residential Land1434 WALLACE STCHICAGO HEIGHTS12/14/20202023-01-06
Residential Land1433 PARNELL AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/14/20202023-01-06
Residential Land1415 WALLACE STCHICAGO HEIGHTS12/14/20202023-01-06
Residential Land1413 WALLACE STCHICAGO HEIGHTS12/14/20202023-01-06
Residential Land1411 WALLACE STCHICAGO HEIGHTS12/14/20202023-01-06
Residential Land1435 17TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS12/14/20202023-01-09
Residential Land1418 LOWE AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/14/20202023-01-09
Residential Land1416 LOWE AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/14/20202023-01-09
Residential Land1410 WALLACE STCHICAGO HEIGHTS12/14/20202023-01-09
Residential Land1410 LOWE AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/14/20202023-01-09
Residential Land1514 ARNOLD STCHICAGO HEIGHTS12/14/20202023-01-20
Residential Land263 17TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS12/14/20202023-01-24
Residential Land1535 WENTWORTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/14/20202023-05-04
Commercial Structure306 16TH PLCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/12/20212023-01-23
Residential Land1234 WILSON AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS5/12/20212023-01-24
Commercial Improved1614 LOWE AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS5/12/20212023-02-17
Commercial Structure1215 HALSTED STCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/12/20212023-06-15
Commercial Structure306 16TH PLCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/12/20212023-07-28
Commercial Structure1646 HALSTED STCHICAGO HEIGHTS6/23/20212023-01-24
Residential Land1504 SHIELDS AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/1/20212023-01-17
Residential Structure1619 HANOVER STCHICAGO HEIGHTS12/1/20212023-01-17
Residential Structure1610 HANOVER STCHICAGO HEIGHTS12/1/20212023-01-17
Residential Structure1441 WALLACE STCHICAGO HEIGHTS12/2/20212023-01-09
Residential Structure1230 EMERALD AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/2/20212023-07-21
Residential Structure1325 CENTER AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/3/20212023-01-23
Residential Structure246 E 16TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS12/6/20212023-01-17
Residential Structure1411 FIFTH AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS12/6/20212023-01-20
Residential Structure438 W 15TH PLCHICAGO HEIGHTS1/12/20222023-01-24
Residential Structure438 W 15TH PLCHICAGO HEIGHTS1/12/20222023-04-11
Commercial Land1208 HALSTED STCHICAGO HEIGHTS1/31/20222023-01-24
Residential Structure300 17TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS2/22/20222023-01-24
Residential Structure380 W 17TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/25/20222023-01-05
Residential Structure317 HICKORY STCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/25/20222023-01-05
Residential Structure210 16TH PLCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/25/20222023-01-24
Residential Structure1650 DIVISION STCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/25/20222023-01-24
Residential Structure380 W 17TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/25/20222023-02-23
Residential Structure317 HICKORY STCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/25/20222023-02-23
Residential Structure1650 DIVISION STCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/25/20222023-04-18
Residential Structure380 W 17TH STCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/25/20222023-08-24
Mixed-Use1208 HALSTED STCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/26/20222023-01-24
Residential Structure409 NORMAL AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS6/15/20222023-01-24
Residential Structure126 BROADWAY AVECHICAGO HEIGHTS9/14/20222023-01-06
Commercial Structure808 S HALSTED STCHICAGO HEIGHTS9/14/20222023-07-18
Mixed-Use1148 HALSTED STCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/12/20232023-05-12
Mixed-Use1148 HALSTED STCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/12/20232023-06-09
Residential Structure1323 WASHINGTON STCHICAGO HEIGHTS5/31/20232023-05-31

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