Mayor Johnson introduces Clean and Affordable Buildings Ordinance

Mayor Brandon Johnson introduced the Clean and Affordable Buildings Ordinance (CABO) Wednesday, January 24th. We joined Alderwoman Maria Hadden, Angela Tovar, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Environment, and the broad coalition of organizations supporting CABO on Tuesday to celebrate the introduction. CABO will set emission standards for new buildings such that, starting in late 2025, all new buildings would be all-electric. 

The introduction of CABO comes at a critical moment after Peoples Gas pushed through a record-breaking rate hike. Gas use in homes also increases our exposure to cancer causing chemicals and is a contributor to childhood asthma. CABO is a step towards reducing our reliance on fossil fuels that are costly to our wallets and our health. We have cheaper, cleaner, and safer ways to heat our homes.

“Too many Chicagoans are having trouble paying their gas bills, and too many families are exposed to chemicals that cause cancer and asthma when burning gas in their kitchens,” Mayor Johnson said in a January 23rd press release. “That is why we are taking the first step toward making how we heat our homes more affordable, and making indoor air safer for every Chicagoan.”