Joe Holberg
declared · Campaign / office
Business leader and former Teach for America member. Announced October 2025.
Positions
Zoning reform
Supports Proposes building housing on city-owned vacant lots, implying zoning changes to allow 4-6 units per lot.
“Increase existing housing stock through rehabilitation of distressed properties and leverage vacant and foreclosed properties to boost housing supply”
— Joe Holberg for Mayor, 2026-07-09
“the city itself owns 10,000 vacant lots. On top of that, if you're thinking about getting four or six units onto each one of those lots, not only are you creating jobs and opportunities for people across the city, especially in communities that are desperate for housing and jobs”
— WBEZ — In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons, 2026-08-31
Affordable housing funding
Supports Calls for building 100,000 new housing units to create jobs and expand the tax base.
“Across the city, no matter what neighborhood you’re in, we need more housing”
— WTTW News, 2026-07-14
“my plan is to call for 100,000 new units of housing, not only to create jobs in partnership with the private sector as well as unions, but also to deliver on the thing that costs people the most.”
— WBEZ — In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons, 2026-08-31
Permitting & approvals
Supports Incentivize private development by reducing red tape and ensuring faster permitting
No specific mechanism stated.
“Incentivize private development of housing through reduction of red tape, ensure faster permitting, and lower the cost to build in Chicago”
— Joe Holberg for Mayor, 2026-07-09
Property taxes & TIF
Supports Argues that building 100,000 housing units will generate $300 million in new property tax revenue, allowing taxes to be lowered.
“Work to freeze and lower property taxes for all Chicagoans and businesses”
— Joe Holberg for Mayor, 2026-07-09
“if you look at that and say the average tax bill is about $3,000, you're generating $300 million in additional property taxes just by building the houses themselves.”
— WBEZ — In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons, 2026-08-31
Media timeline
2026-08-31 · WBEZ — In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons · podcast
2026-07-14 · WTTW News · article
2026-07-09 · Joe Holberg for Mayor · website