South Side man granted parking spot for people with disabilities after years of requests

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Several people have turned to the ABC7 Chicago I-Team, saying that they have had to wait several months for much-needed parking spots for people with disabilities.

In some cases, people said they haven't heard back. And in other cases, they said they were unfairly denied.

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One man saw results after calling the I-Team.

Last fall, John Coleman said the parking application for his brother-in-law had been denied since 2023. He said it was because of the detached garage at his home in the city's Grand Crossing neighborhood.

Coleman says the space is too small and too far from the home. The steps are too steep for his brother-in-law, who has had three strokes.

For more than a year now, the I-Team has been exposing what people call unfair denials and delays for parking spots for people with disabilities across 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.