City building permits · May 2026
Chicago Building Permits
Monthly residential building permits for Chicago, Illinois — 16 units in May 2026, 3,659 over the last 12 months — latest month -96.9% vs. a year earlier.
16
Units (latest month)
1
Single-family units
0
Multifamily (5+) units
$3,760,000
Reported value
Trailing 12 months: 3,659 units permitted · latest month -96.9% vs. a year earlier.
| Structure type | Units | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Single-family (1-unit) | 1 | 6.3% |
| 2-unit structures | 2 | 12.5% |
| 3–4 unit structures | 13 | 81.3% |
| Multifamily (5+ units) | 0 | 0.0% |
| All units | 16 | 100% |
Chicago building permits — FAQ
How many building permits were issued in Chicago, Illinois?+
16 new residential units were authorized in Chicago in May 2026, and 3,659 over the trailing 12 months, per the Census Building Permits Survey.
What types of housing is Chicago permitting?+
In May 2026, 1 single-family and 0 units in 5+ unit buildings were permitted — 93.8% of the total was multifamily.
Why might Chicago's numbers be zero some months?+
Permit activity is lumpy at the city level, and small jurisdictions may report to the Census with a lag. Zero in a month means no permits were reported, not necessarily no construction interest.