Chicago Leader Hirsh Mohindra: Expertise in Multiple Industries

In recent years, Illinois has witnessed a subtle but significant shift in its housing landscape: the rapid growth of build-to-rent (BTR) communities. These developments—entire neighborhoods of newly constructed single-family homes designed specifically for renters—are reshaping how families find housing, how investors allocate capital, and how first-time buyers navigate an increasingly competitive market.   While the trend is national, Illinois has become a particularly interesting case study. With its mix of suburban stability, midwestern affordability, and strong rental demand, the state has drawn the attention of institutional investors, regional developers, and real-estate funds seeking reliable returns in a shifting economy. As housing preferences evolve and interest rates remain unpredictable, BTR communities have quietly emerged as a resilient asset class—and one that is changing the way Americans think about homeownership.   Why Investors Are Pouring Into Build-to-Ren...

  The Midwest has a way of reinventing itself without fanfare. While coastal headlines ping-pong between boom and bust, Illinois’s suburbs—especially those orbiting Chicago—have been quietly refilling with remote and hybrid workers. The pandemic cracked open the location lock on knowledge work; the years since have cemented a new pattern: people want urban access without urban pressure. That simple calculus is reshaping buyer demographics, small-town economies, and the civic priorities of communities from Oak Park to Geneva, from Libertyville down to Orland Park.   At the heart of this “Midwest Migration” is choice. Hybrid schedules reduced the tyranny of the daily commute, turning once-impossible distances into easy trade-offs. A two-or-three-day downtown cadence suddenly makes a 45-minute Metra ride reasonable if it comes bundled with a backyard, a finished basement, and a trailhead. As one relocation consultant told me recently, the question changed from “How close can we g...

Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) have become one of the most flexible and powerful tools in modern land use planning. They allow municipalities to deviate from rigid zoning ordinances in order to accommodate projects that promise greater efficiency, aesthetic coherence, or community benefit. Yet the same flexibility that makes PUDs appealing can generate controversy—particularly when neighboring property owners question whether the departures from zoning rules are justified or lawful.   The 2016 Illinois appellate decision in Hanlon v. Village of Clarendon Hills illustrates this tension vividly. The case concerned a small downtown redevelopment project and raised questions about the duration of preliminary approvals, the discretion of municipalities in interpreting their own zoning ordinances, and the proper scope of judicial review when local governments condition PUD approvals on “tangible community benefits.”   Understanding the PUD Mechanism   At its core, a PUD is a...

The rising cost of housing in many American cities has renewed attention on inclusionary zoning (IZ)—a land-use policy tool that links market-rate development with affordable housing production. By requiring or incentivizing developers to include below-market-rate units in new projects, inclusionary zoning aims to balance growth with equity. Yet, as municipalities navigate the delicate line between promoting development and ensuring affordability, the balance of local control and developer responsibility remains contested. The report “Inclusionary Zoning in Illinois: A Case Study Analysis” by Maxwell Seeley offers a critical look at how cities such as Evanston, Highland Park, and Oak Park have implemented these policies—and what lessons can be drawn from their experiences. Local Context: Illinois as a Laboratory of Policy Innovation Illinois provides a distinctive lens through which to view inclusionary housing. Unlike states with statewide IZ mandates, Illinois municipalities operate ...

  The case of Wortham v. Village of Barrington Hills, 2022 IL App (1st) 210888 Across the country, communities are wrestling with how to manage short-term rentals. Platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo have transformed the housing market, allowing homeowners to profit from renting out properties to travelers. Yet, this convenience has created deep tensions between preserving residential neighborhood character and accommodating new economic models. At the heart of this debate lies a critical legal question: when does a home stop being residential and start functioning as a business? The Illinois appellate case Wortham v. Village of Barrington Hills (2022 IL App (1st) 210888) shines a spotlight on this issue. It illustrates how short-term rental operations can effectively convert single-family residences into commercial lodging uses—and how local zoning codes can enforce those boundaries. The Case Background Clay and Anita Wortham owned a single-family home in Barrington Hills, Illinois, a ...

  Lessons from the Village of North Barrington Zoning Ordinance Amendment No. 724 The balance between municipal land-use control and private property rights is one of the most challenging aspects of zoning law. In Illinois, that balance is often tested when local governments face technological or infrastructure demands—like the siting of cellular communication towers—within established residential environments. The case of Village of North Barrington Zoning Ordinance Amendment Ordinance No. 724 (1997) offers an instructive look at how Illinois courts treat allegations of spot zoning, contract zoning, and procedural due process within quasi-judicial hearings. This case arose when the Village of North Barrington amended its zoning ordinance to permit construction of a cellular telecommunications monopole on municipal property. Residents challenged the amendment, alleging it constituted improper “spot zoning,” illegal “contract zoning,” and violated procedural standards. The Illinois...