The committee vote represents a nearly unprecedented rebuke of the decades-old tradition of giving alderpeople the final say over housing developments in their wards.

Members of the Chicago City Council have until Friday to respond to 10 questions posed by federal officials probing whether aldermanic prerogative has created a hyper-segregated city rife with racism and gentrification.

The award-winning playwright behind "A Raisin in the Sun" packed an impressive career into a short life. Now, a local theater wants to celebrate the South Side native’s work that extends beyond the stage.