📈 Why property taxes are so high

Chicago Property Taxes 101

With almost 30 alders attempting to reject Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed $300 million property tax hike this week, we’re talking about why Chicagoans are always complaining about property taxes. [City Cast Chicago 🎧]

City’s Largest Migrant Shelter Closing

After housing more than 1,500 migrants over the last two years, the city is closing its shelter at the Inn of Chicago Friday. Near the Magnificent Mile, the area’s alders have wanted the shelter gone for a while. [Block Club]

School Application Deadline Extended

CPS students and families have an extra week to apply to schools outside of their neighborhood. The new deadline is 5 p.m. Nov. 22. [Chalkbeat]

Whether you recently moved to Chicago or are born and raised, we’re sharing a few rules and reminders to help navigate city life.

Get Familiar With the Grid

Have you been on Lower Wacker, and your GPS goes berserk? Take a wrong turn on a six-way intersection because Google Maps erroneously told you to? The apps can’t always save you, but at least Chicago’s grid system is pretty easy to learn. And if you’re bad with directions (same) get a portable charger!

People Ask What High School You Went To

If we meet, and you say you’re from Chicago, there’s a high likelihood your fav newsletter editor is going to ask where you went to high school. It’s an easy way to connect, figure out if we have any mutuals, and tell you that Michelle Obama went to my high school 🐬 #ShouldveBeenADolphin

Be Thoughtful With Chicago Nicknames

Call us the Second City, the Windy City, the City in a Garden, or the City of Big Shoulders. But please don’t say “Chi-Raq.”

Form an Opinion on Dibs

Once snow falls, dibs season will be upon us. Chicagoans use objects — like traffic cones, chairs, and even religious icons — to reserve parking spots they’ve shoveled out. Illegal and controversial, dibs are part of Chicago winters.

Chicago Suburbs ≠ Chicago

I’m going to hold your hand when I say this: If you are from the suburbs and only parachute into the city for Lollapalooza, you are not from Chicago. It’s not a hard-and-fast rule — lots of people who live in Chicago suburbs have connections to the city. But how do you talk about Chicago? How do you engage with the city when you’re here? If you want to claim Chicago, we just ask that you embrace all of it.