Chicago Shared Housing Application Denial

[Kayla D.]

Hi all! Hoping for some advice here.

I purchased my first 2 unit Oct 22 and currently occupy the 1st unit duplex as my primary home. In November I submitted my shared-housing application to Chicago’s BACP, with the hopes using my basement unit as a short term rental unit (Airbnb, VRBO, FF, etc.). Almost 2 months later I received a denial because the unit is not my primary residence. That didn’t immediately make any sense to me, because DUH it’s not my primary home - that’s why I’d like to rent it out. I immediately appealed and received a response from their appeals a few days later stating that my only recourse was to apply for a commissioners adjustment. And so that I did - I completed their long list of essay questions and another 2 months goes by. Per the application they have up to 60 days and I get notice in the 58th day that that application has also been denied.

Am I doing something wrong here? I had no idea it would be so difficult get apply for a license for shared-housing. Should I have said the unit was my primary home? I reiterated on the appeal and commissioners application that I live right upstairs, in the 1st unit and the response in the appeal was that because I indicated the unit for which I’m applying wasn’t my primary residence, it didn’t qualify. How’s that so? There are too many Airbnbs in the city for all of them to actually be anyone’s primary residence. 

Any help or guidance is appreciated. I have 14 days to appeal the commissioners denial and plan to try to go to the BACP next week for some guidance. But when I’ve called in the past no one seems to have any info on the house sure department and you can only email them.