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Have You Heard Of The Chicago Bungalow Association?

Mark Ainley - Friday, November 13, 2026
Have You Heard Of The Chicago Bungalow Association?
Mark Ainley Author
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Author: Mark Ainely | Partner GC Realty & Development & Co-Host Straight Up Chicago Investor Podcast

While I was researching the City of Chicago Emergency Heating Repair Program for my last article, I stumbled onto the Chicago Bungalow Association. I've been doing this since 2003, and I had no idea this group existed.

Who They Are and Why They Exist

The Chicago Bungalow Association was created in September 2000 by Mayor Richard M. Daley through the City's Department of Housing. The goal was to make sure the roughly 80,000 one and a half story bungalows that have anchored Chicago families and neighborhoods for over 100 years would keep doing that for the next century.

The Chicago bungalow itself goes back to the early 1900s, when the city was growing fast and needed affordable homes people could own and live in. The association was built to help owners appreciate that housing style, rehab it the right way, make it more energy efficient, and adapt it to how people live today.

It started out as the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association. In 2017 it dropped the word Historic and became the Chicago Bungalow Association, putting the focus on where it's headed and not just where it came from. Membership is free for owner occupants of older single family homes in the City of Chicago.

I was so impressed by what they're doing that I'm going to reach out to see about having them on as a guest on the Straight Up Chicago Investor Podcast.

What Membership Gets You

Digging further into their website, it's clear they offer a lot to their members, and a big part of it is access to grant and assistance programs. These programs are how bungalow owners reduce their overall costs and get ahead of long term preventative CapEx and maintenance, instead of waiting for something to fail.

The Programs on Their List

I'm not going to break down every one of these, but here's the list of programs on their website. You can check out the Chicago Bungalow Association website for details and eligibility on each one.

Energy and utilities

  • Whole Home Electric (with ComEd)
  • Home Energy Savings Program (with ComEd, Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas)
  • ComEd Energy Efficiency Program
  • Peoples Gas Energy Efficiency Program
  • Peoples Gas Share the Warmth
  • CEDA Services
  • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
  • LIHEAP Furnace Assistance
  • LIHEAP Reconnection Assistance
  • LIHEAP for Renters
  • Illinois Energy Efficiency Loan Program
  • Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit
  • Illinois Solar for All
  • Illinois Shines

Water, sewer and lead

  • Low Income Household Water Assistance Program
  • Utility Billing Relief Program
  • Private Sewer Drain Program
  • Lead Service Line Replacement Programs
  • Breaks and Leaks Replacement Program
  • LeadCare Complete
  • Preventive Lead Abatement Program

Repairs and home improvement

  • Emergency Heating Repair Program
  • Home Upkeep and Repair Program (H.O.M.E.)
  • Flood Assistance Repair Program
  • Shared Cost Sidewalk Program
  • Home Improvement Loan (Neighborhood Lending Services)
  • Home Improvement Loan (The Resurrection Project)
  • Southwest Home Equity Assurance Program
  • Northwest Home Equity Assurance Program
  • The HomeMod Program
  • Chores Services
  • Senior At Risk Assessment Program

Taxes, buying and ownership

  • Property Tax Exemptions (Cook County Assessor)
  • TaxSmart
  • HomeGrown Purchase Assistance Program
  • Chicago Neighborhood Recovery Program
  • Chicago Community Land Trust
  • Here to Stay Community Land Trust
  • Housing Counseling Centers
  • Illinois Emergency Homeowner Assistance Fund
  • Additional Dwelling Unit Pilot Program
  • Tax Increment Finance Purchase Rehab Program
  • Chicago Low Income Housing Trust Fund
  • Troubled Building Initiative

Other support

  • FEMA Disaster Recovery Assistance
  • Beat the Heat Cooling Centers
  • Chicago Furniture Bank
  • Legal Aid Chicago
  • CARPLS Legal Advice
  • Help for Illinois Families
  • Spanish Coalition for Housing Services

So who qualifies for membership? According to their website, your home has to meet four requirements. It must be at least 50 years old, located in the City of Chicago, a single family residence, and owner occupied. That means most investors with rental property won't qualify as members, and even a house hacker living in a two flat may not, since it has to be a single family home. The good news is that many of the programs on their list don't require CBA membership. Some are open to investors, and others, like the Home Energy Savings Program, can be used by renters with the owner's consent.

So why should an investor care about a group you may not qualify for? There are two big reasons.

First, your rental doesn't sit on an island. The condition of the homes around it affects your property value and the quality of tenants you attract. If you know a neighbor near one of your properties who owns an older single family home and is struggling to keep up with CapEx items like a furnace, roof or windows, point them to the Chicago Bungalow Association. Helping them fix up their home helps protect your investment too.

Second, a lot of investors start out living in the home they eventually rent out. If you live in an older single family home in Chicago today and plan to turn it into a rental down the road, join now while you're an owner occupant. Use these programs to replace the furnace, weatherize, and catch up on deferred maintenance at little or no cost, and you'll be turning that home into a rental with a lot less CapEx ahead of you.

The craziest part is that membership is free. If you qualify, or just want to learn more about the programs, visit chicagobungalow.org/join.

There Are More Resources Out There Than You Think

The more I dig into this city, the more resources I find for Chicago real estate investors, and the Chicago Bungalow Association is a great example. Groups like the Chicago Bungalow Association, the Straight Up Chicago Investor Podcast, and the Neighborhood Building Owners Alliance are out there to help and protect real estate investors. You just have to know where to look.

Don't Go At This Alone!

One of the biggest advantages of working with GC Realty, connecting with me, or following the Straight Up Chicago Investor Podcast is that we keep finding resources like this one that most investors never hear about. With about 1,500 units under management and thousands of investors served over 23 years, our team is in the weeds of Chicagoland real estate every day, and when we find something that can save you money or protect your investment, we share it. If you own rental property in Chicago or the suburbs and want a team that knows where to look, reach out to us.

What gets me up in the morning and keeps me going for 12 hours a day is the ability to add value for local area investors in Chicago and beyond. Those who connect with me often hear me say that our goal is to bring value to everyone we come in contact with. In return, they will one day hire us for tenant placement or property management, refer us to someone they know, or leave a review about our services. We would love all three, but we are happy whenever we get the opportunity to help.

Founder, Partner, Podcast Co-Host, and Investor


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Mark Ainley
Investor, Managing Broker, and Property Manager
Price is what you pay, Value is what you get! I want to provide value to others and make some money along the way. I have a solid foundation in Chicago real estate because I am a Real Estate investor in both Residential and Commercial/Industrial markets while being a founding partner at GC Realty & Development LLC and co-host of Straight Up Chicago Investor Podcast. In the last 20 years we renovated 500+ properties, invested in commercial properties, managed over 7000 units/tenants, leased over 4,000 properties, featured on CNBC’s TV show The Deed, co-host on Chicago's AM560 Real Estate Revealed Radio Show, and invited to speak & sit on panels at numerous investment summits across the country. I have also been blessed with the opportunity to be a guest on over 30 top podcast platforms. GC Realty & Development, LLC, currently manages over 1,200 investment properties throughout the Chicagoland area. In 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, GCR&D was featured on the Inc. Magazine list of top 5,000 fastest growing companies in the United States. I take great pride in providing valued feedback to beginners and less experienced entrepreneurs on what steps not to take or what steps to take sooner in growing a younger business.
Price is what you pay, Value is what you get! I want to provide value to others and make some money along the way. I have a solid foundation in Chicago real estate because I am a Real Estate investor in both Residential and Commercial/Industrial markets while being a founding partner at GC Realty & Development LLC and co-host of Straight Up Chicago Investor Podcast. In the last 20 years we renovated 500+ properties, invested in commercial properties, managed over 7000 units/tenants, leased over 4,000 properties, featured on CNBC’s TV show The Deed, co-host on Chicago's AM560 Real Estate Revealed Radio Show, and invited to speak & sit on panels at numerous investment summits across the country. I have also been blessed with the opportunity to be a guest on over 30 top podcast platforms. GC Realty & Development, LLC, currently manages over 1,200 investment properties throughout the Chicagoland area. In 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, GCR&D was featured on the Inc. Magazine list of top 5,000 fastest growing companies in the United States. I take great pride in providing valued feedback to beginners and less experienced entrepreneurs on what steps not to take or what steps to take sooner in growing a younger business.
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