A group of renters at 2648 N. Francisco Ave. in Logan Square are asking their landlord to sell the five-unit apartment building to them or find a buyer who will not displace current residents, according to an April 1 report. The effort is one of the first major tests of Chicago’s Northwest Side Preservation Ordinance, which aims to give tenants more power when their buildings go up for sale.
The issue matters because rising housing costs and gentrification have put pressure on long-term residents in neighborhoods like Logan Square. The ordinance, passed in 2024, was designed to help protect two-, three-, and four-flat apartments by increasing demolition fees for developers and making it easier to build multi-unit homes instead of single-family houses. It also gives tenants a right of first refusal if their building is listed for sale.
After learning that landlord Francisco Miranda planned to sell the property for $1.35 million—about $400,000 above its most recent assessed value—the tenants formed the Three Black Cats tenants union in hopes of buying the building or finding a preservation-minded buyer. The group would be the first successful tenant-building purchase under this new program; so far, no sales have been completed through it.
Brenna Townley, organizer with Three Black Cats, said Miranda has been fair during her decade as a resident but urged him and his realtor “to work with current residents to find a good-faith buyer for the building who wouldn’t raise their rents.” She added: “In this so-called American dream, paying your rent on time … doesn’t matter… We’re at the whim of someone saying, ‘I’m ready to retire early, so you have to go.'”
Real estate agent George Khalaf said he believes Miranda would consider selling directly to the tenants union: “He’s now retired and wants to sell. It’s that simple, not complicated at all.” According to county records cited by tenants, property taxes on the building have risen nearly $6,000 since 2000.
The listing has triggered a required 90-day right-of-first-refusal period under city rules. If they can secure financing or find an approved third-party buyer within four months who agrees not to displace them or raise rents excessively, they may complete the purchase.
Despite these protections, some say navigating this process is difficult given high market prices and complex requirements. Tim Grandon from Three Black Cats said: “This whole process has been very exhausting and complicated… But the market is unbelievable and it’s unachievable for working people.” Some local aldermen have pulled out of supporting zones due partly to complaints about delays in sales timelines.
Alderman Anthony Quezada (35th) voiced support Sunday: “The struggle here today is a struggle that Logan Square has known far too long … Housing should not be a commodity. Housing should be a human right.”
