Burr Ridge Mayor Grasso: Illinois BUILD Act 'is haphazard legislation that will do more harm than good'

Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso said he opposes the Illinois BUILD Act, arguing it would weaken local zoning authority, increase housing density in single-family neighborhoods, and reduce municipal control over development decisions.

“I oppose BUILD because the Governor’s premise is to blame local officials when it’s property taxes because schools are locally funded, and construction and infrastructure costs that are the primary reasons for expensive housing, especially north of I 80,” Grasso said in a comment to the DuPage Policy Journal.

The Illinois BUILD Act, formally known as House Bill 5626, would allow higher-density housing in areas traditionally zoned for single-family homes, expand accessory dwelling units, reduce minimum parking requirements near transit hubs, and limit certain municipal restrictions on multifamily construction.

Grasso said the proposal would shift housing and zoning decisions away from local governments and residents toward broader state-level development standards. He argued that long-standing local control over land use would be diminished in favor of policies encouraging higher-density construction in areas traditionally reserved for single-family housing, with potential effects on neighborhood character and property values.

“BUILD is haphazard legislation that will do more harm than good,” Grasso said.

The Burr Ridge Village Board of Trustees has also formally opposed the legislation, adopting a unanimous resolution rejecting the measure.