Martin Sahagun

“My name is Martin Sahagun. I’m the CEO of Sahagun Siles Partners. I have a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a master’s in urban design.”

“This city has provided me almost everything. Skyscrapers, nature, landscape. I always say if I didn’t move to Chicago, I might be in some other career. This city is a living laboratory for urban planners. The more I learn about Chicago, the more interested I am in my career.”

“Sahagun Siles and our partners have projects all over the city. We provide design and construction services, as well as permitting. As city of Chicago expediters, we can help our clients work with the city to get the right permits for their projects. We have been working with the ADU ordinance since 2021.”

“ADUs are accessory buildings, basements and attics that can be turned into additional living spaces on the same property. That means more affordable housing in the city. It helps prevent a housing crisis and avoid skyrocketing prices compared to other big cities in the country.”

“There are lots of ways a resident can use an ADU. They can rent it out and have extra income – that’s really helpful for them. And it also adds affordable housing to the neighborhood and increases the value of the property.”

“If they don’t want to rent it out, it can be a way for multi-generational families to live together.”

“Both of these things create new development while keeping wealth and diversity in the neighborhood. I think we have a responsibility to keep a certain character in the city.”

“Most of the communities in Chicago need more units. They already have many buildings; they’re just not being used in the best way. ADUs help to avoid urban sprawl and promote a more sustainable future of the city.”

“For instance, a lot of neighborhoods have big buildings which are single-family homes, but that makes no sense for them anymore. Times have changed. Now, families are shrinking and density in the city is going up.”

“Some of our clients are in the most segregated neighborhoods of the city. They come to us because they need help to solve existing building violations, usually related to the number of units. We make a point of getting these buildings up to code so they can continue being used for housing.”

“Sometimes it seems like the city would prefer to demolish them because that is easier than fixing things. We work very hard to prevent that.”

“With the ADU ordinance, we can meet our housing needs with buildings we already have. If we reuse existing infrastructure, we create a more compact and sustainable city.”

“Right now with the ADU program, it’s easy to get approved. That’s great. The long process is once you get approved, actually working with the building department. It’s a minimum of about six months.”

“It’s understandable because you have to make the units safe, but sometimes it seems like there’s not a lot of communication between the zoning department and the building department, even though they’re in the same city. If there was better communication, maybe these projects could get done quicker and we could have more of them.”

“Also, right now there are only five zones in the city that are allowed to build ADUs. It should be expanded to anywhere in Chicago. We should be taking a look at all the neighborhoods, not just the neighborhoods lucky to be chosen by City Hall. I believe more ADUs would help create a less-segregated city.”

“Many of our clients who live in neighborhoods where the ADU program doesn’t apply get very annoyed and ask us why this program only applies to certain parts of the city. There is demand for it.”

Martin Sahagun
Sahagun Siles Partners
Pilsen neighborhood, Chicago, Illinois