Alex Nitkin

Alex Nitkin is The Daily Line’s reporter covering Cook County and Chicago land use policy. He came to TDL from The Real Deal Chicago, where he covered Chicago real estate news. He previously worked at DNAinfo, first as a breaking news reporter, and then as a neighborhood reporter covering the city's Northwest Side. Nitkin graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism with a bachelor’s degree.

JUN 04, 2020
Deborah Witzburg during a virtual meeting of the City Council Committee on Public Safety Wednesday

Aldermen on Wednesday pressed a city watchdog for answers on how the Chicago Police Department can speed the clock on a long list of federally mandated reforms following a week of unrest that inflamed existing tensions between neighborhoods and police.

Aldermen press city watchdog on pace of police reforms: ‘What can you do to push this along now?’

Deborah Witzburg during a virtual meeting of the City Council Committee on Public Safety Wednes...
JUN 03, 2020
CTA CUTBACKS TO STAY — Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Tuesday defended her decision to shut down the CTA overnight and said transit service will stay limited for the foreseeable future, saying the move was necessary to protect transit workers.

TDL Morning Briefs June 2nd 2020

CTA CUTBACKS TO STAY — Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Tuesday defended her decision to shut down the CTA...
JUN 02, 2020
Cook County law enforcement agencies deployed hundreds of deputies and tapped into a vast intelligence-sharing operation to help suburban police tamp down looting that spread outside Chicago Sunday, county officials announced Monday.

Cook County sends officers, intel to aid suburban police: ‘We have been called everywhere’

Cook County law enforcement agencies deployed hundreds of deputies and tapped into a vast intelli...
JUN 01, 2020
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi is trying to pull off a feat the county has never accomplished before: a vast expansion of property tax reassessments, all squeezed into a truncated timeline to make sure bills can be calculated and sent out on time next year.

Kaegi defends overhauling reassessments on short deadline: ‘We don’t have a lot of great choices’

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi is trying to pull off a feat the county has never accomplished b...
MAY 29, 2020
Owners of small apartment buildings, independent hotels and restaurant spaces are likely to benefit most from an ambitious plan by Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi to bake the economic impact of Covid-19 into the assessed values of properties all over the county.
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Small landlords, neighborhood retailers benefit from Kaegi’s ‘Covid factor’ reassessments

Owners of small apartment buildings, independent hotels and restaurant spaces are likely to benef...
MAY 28, 2020
Consultants from the William Everett Group gave an update on Wednesday to members of the Cook County Complete Census Commission about efforts to boost responses to the U.S. Census.


Dozens of small groups using public dollars to help spread awareness of the U.S. Census are running up against a problem: they have not been able to spend the nearly $1 million they were originally given, and next week they are scheduled to receive more.
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Cook County census outreach a ‘constant adjustment’ as Chicago-area responses outpace peer cities

Consultants from the William Everett Group gave an update on Wednesday to members of the Cook C...
MAY 27, 2020
A pair of North Side aldermen want to give their constituents more time to force a ban on cannabis dispensaries from opening in their immediate neighborhoods.  They say launching petition drives during a stay-at-home order is virtually impossible.
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Aldermen pitch a ‘reset’ on precinct-level dispensary bans after cannabis tweaks fizzle in Springfield

A pair of North Side aldermen want to give their constituents more time to force a ban on cannabi...
MAY 27, 2020
Members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners were surprised to learn Tuesday morning that county board President Toni Preckwinkle vetoed their proposal to hand over the addresses of Covid-19-positive residents to suburban police and fire agencies, a 180-degree reversal days after Preckwinkle said she would reluctantly support the measure.
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Preckwinkle nixes address-sharing with historic veto, says ‘being disappointed wasn’t sufficient’

Members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners were surprised to learn Tuesday morning that co...
MAY 26, 2020
A long-awaited plan to legalize the construction of extra homes across Chicago would cut back the number of parking spaces required in residential areas all over the city, a move aimed at clearing away room for thousands of affordable new homes.
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Proposed coach house ordinance would mandate affordable units, relax parking rules citywide

A long-awaited plan to legalize the construction of extra homes across Chicago would cut back the...
MAY 22, 2020
County commissioners overwhelmingly voted Thursday to extend a series of emergency powers for county Board President Toni Preckwinkle through September, notching a victory for the president as she tries to harness every lever of county government to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and its economic fallout.

Commissioners extend Preckwinkle emergency powers, narrowly approve Covid-19 address-sharing resolution

County commissioners overwhelmingly voted Thursday to extend a series of emergency powers for cou...
MAY 21, 2020

Proposed lakefront towers set for approval on site of defunct Chicago Spire

City planning officials are scheduled Thursday to approve a $1 billion plan to build a pair of re...
MAY 21, 2020

Affordability for renters and equity for contract hiring were two issues discussed Wednesday at the monthly meeting of the Chicago City Council. The three-hour meeting was also the one-year anniversary in office for Mayor Lori Lightfoot who credited the 12 freshman aldermen she shared the milestone with. Over the past year their collective efforts made the city “more fair and more transparent” since the time they took office, she said.

Near the top of the meeting, Lightfoot introduced a new ordinance (O2020-2862) that she said enshrines tenant stability by extending the notice period for eviction or lease non-renewals from 30 to 90 days. The so-called Fair Notice ordinance also guarantees renters $2,500 from their landlord if they are forced to leave because their building will be either demolished or redeveloped. The payment is based on federal standards developed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

City Council passes covid-19 relief measures for hourly workers, airport vendors

Affordability for renters and equity for contract hiring were two issues discussed Wednesday at t...
MAY 20, 2020

Fulton Market dispensary proposal wins zoning approval as permit process remains murky

Aldermen voted Tuesday to advance a proposal to open a new cannabis dispensary in Fulton Market a...
MAY 19, 2020

A flurry of cannabis entrepreneurs seeking zoning approval for their proposed dispensaries or indoor weed farms are stuck in regulatory limbo, as the coronavirus pandemic has slowed the already tedious public approval process for pot-related businesses to a near-standstill.

Six proposals for pot shops and another two for craft grow facilities were included on the agenda for a 10 a.m. meeting of the City Council’s Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards on Tuesday. But none of the applicants have won over their local aldermen, and none are expected to be considered at the meeting.

Dispensary proposals hit a wall as aldermen grapple with Covid-era community approval process

A flurry of cannabis entrepreneurs seeking zoning approval for their proposed dispensaries or ind...
MAY 18, 2020

$35M city financing package for Logan Square affordable apartments set for approval Monday

A developer is set to be awarded city funds for its plan to build a 100-unit affordable apartment...
MAY 18, 2020
Businesses that operate out of Chicago’s airports will see a major break in rent they pay to the city under a measure approved by aldermen on Friday in an effort to keep the Covid-19 pandemic from forcing the travel kiosks to close.

Airport shops, restaurants to get ‘breathing room’ under approved rent waiver ordinance

Businesses that operate out of Chicago’s airports will see a major break in rent they pay to the ...
MAY 15, 2020
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle details the county’s long-range recovery goals Thursday during a virtual address to the City Club of Chicago. [photo courtesy of Cook County]
Cook County leaders will focus on expanding broadband access and further shrinking the county jail population as part of a long-term economic recovery plan that prioritizes the county’s most vulnerable residents, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced Thursday.

Preckwinkle looks to expand Internet access in 2-year ‘Equitable Recovery’ plan

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle details the county’s long-range recovery goals Thu...
MAY 15, 2020
BOOST FOR ‘MICRO-BUSINESSES’ — Two weeks after the launch of Chicago’s grant program aimed at keeping extra-small businesses afloat, the city has already paid $5,000 each to 959 “micro-businesses” such as “family-owned coffee shops” and “mom-and-pop retail stores” city officials announced Thursday.

Also this morning: City announces ‘micro-business’ grants, Tribune Tower renovation moves forward, a lifeline for airport shops

BOOST FOR ‘MICRO-BUSINESSES’ — Two weeks after the launch of Chicago’s grant program aimed at kee...
MAY 14, 2020
Aldermen gave a nod on Wednesday to Kenneth Williams as their choice to lead the City Council’s Office of Financial Analysis, casting him in a central role in the city’s effort to piece together a 2021 budget amid the devastation and uncertainty of the Covid-19 crisis.

Williams tapped to oversee financial analysis for City Council, promises to be ‘go-to resource’ for budget questions

Aldermen gave a nod on Wednesday to Kenneth Williams as their choice to lead the City Council’s O...