CHICAGO (WLS) — Numerous individuals have reached out to the ABC7 Chicago I-Team, expressing frustration over extended waits for crucial disabled parking permits.
Many report a lack of communication, while others feel their applications have been unjustly rejected.
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However, one man’s situation improved after he contacted the I-Team for assistance.
Last autumn, John Coleman revealed that his brother-in-law’s parking application had faced rejection since 2023. The denial was attributed to the presence of a detached garage at his residence in the city’s Grand Crossing area.
Coleman explained that the garage space is inadequate and too distant from the house. The steep steps are also a significant barrier for his brother-in-law, who has experienced three strokes.
For over a year, the I-Team has been highlighting what many describe as unjust denials and prolonged delays in securing parking permits for individuals with disabilities throughout the city.
In February of 2025, one woman was told it would take a year. Then, she was denied, until the I-Team stepped in.
In a September 2025 report, two other people saw results and got spots after the I-Team’s involvement. But Coleman was still being denied. Now, the city is changing its tune.
“I found this lovely placard in my mail, accompanied with a letter from the Department of Finance,” Coleman said.
A spot has since been installed. Coleman says it will be life-changing for his brother-in-law and make it easier to get to doctor appointments.
“I’m very happy for my brother-in-law because he has struggled. Some of the citizens of Chicago have not been as kind and have taken the spot in front of my house even when they see him struggling to get in and out,” Coleman said.
The city of Chicago didn’t comment on this resolution or why Coleman finally got the spot. But in past reports, the city admitted the process can take between six months to a year due to site evaluations or appeals. The city says it prioritizes on-street parking reservations for residents with the greatest need.
“The I-Team definitely made a difference because I had somebody to hold the departments accountable,” Coleman said.
Multiple city agencies handle this process. The city of Chicago’s Department of Transportation said it encourages people who have been denied to request a review through the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.
The city says it installs more than 1,300 spots a year and is working to improve efficiencies.
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