Brainerd, Chicago woman frustrated by long processing time to get disabled parking spot in front of home after car crash
Share and Follow

CHICAGO (WLS) — One Chicago woman says she’s dealing with a runaround, trying to get a city disabled parking spot in front of her home. She says her husband is in desperate need of it.

Bridget Vann said she submitted her application back in December, but she said the city of Chicago told her that she may have to wait up to a year for a disabled parking spot in front of her home.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

For Vann, parking in front of her Brainerd neighborhood home is not just a convenience.

Vann said it will be a necessity for her husband, when he returns from the hospital after being in a tragic car crash.

“Right now, he’s not able to walk. But hopefully, you know, that issue will be resolved with, you know, surgeries, therapy,” Vann said.

The home has a detached garage, but Vann said it’s too far, and her husband’s car won’t fit in it. So, the designated spot, which is closer to the door, is needed.

“I filled the application out at the beginning of December, and sent in the money order they asked for: $70. And I called to get an update, to find out, and they weren’t even able to tell me if they had received it yet because it takes four to six weeks to process the application,” Vann said.

SEE ALSO: New Jersey man who uses a wheelchair seeks to climb Mount Kilimanjaro

Then, she said a city representative told her the entire approval and installation process through the Department of Finance and the Chicago Department of Transportation could take even longer: up to a year.

“Six months to a year: I was flabbergasted. I couldn’t believe it,” Vann said.

The city of Chicago says it installs more than 1,300 disabled parking locations each year, but says the process involves multiple steps, including site evaluations and City Council approval.

The city also told the I-Team, “The City of Chicago is committed to processing applications for Residential Disabled Parking as quickly as possible,” but “The full process of obtaining a Residential Disabled Parking Sign may take up to six months or more due to the multiple steps and approvals required by City code.”

“That’s ridiculous. I mean, that’s for two signs to be, you know, installed in front of a home,” Vann said.

The city also blames the delays on administrative processing and high demand.

After the I-Team got involved, Vann says a surveyor came out to inspect, but she was initially denied the spot because of that detached garage. So, she’s appealing.

“I feel kind of let down. It hurts,” Vann said.

Vann says her mother had a city-approved disabled spot in front of the same home decades ago. So, she still has hope that she’ll get approved.

The city encourages anyone who has been denied to request a review through the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.

Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Stream It or Skip It?

Must-Watch or Move On: The Ultimate Guide to Streaming Decisions

At just a teenager, Eddie Murphy transitioned from performing stand-up comedy in…
Graphic anti-ICE imagery at University of Wisconsin shows agent with bullet in head: 'Speak their language'

Controversial Anti-ICE Artwork at University of Wisconsin Depicts Graphic Imagery: Sparks Debate on Campus

Authorities at the University of Wisconsin-Madison announced on Thursday that they have…
NYC super killed during suspected dispute with man trying to steal his tenants' packages

NYC Building Superintendent Fatally Attacked in Alleged Package Theft Altercation

An apartment superintendent in Brooklyn lost his life following a violent confrontation…
Trump’s America First strategy builds deterrence through strong US-Israel alliance, experts say

Strengthening U.S.-Israel Ties: How Trump’s America First Strategy Boosts Global Deterrence

Initially criticized as isolationist, Donald Trump’s “America First” strategy is now being…
Illegal alien truck driver presses for blood samples, vehicle analysis in deadly Florida disaster

Florida Tragedy Unfolds: Illegal Alien Truck Driver Demands Crucial Evidence Examination

An undocumented truck driver, accused of triggering a fatal accident in Florida,…
Aurora City Council votes to approve ordinance banning federal agents from arresting immigrants without warrant on city property

Aurora City Council Enacts Ordinance Prohibiting Warrantless Federal Immigration Arrests on City Premises

AURORA, Ill. (WLS) — The city of Aurora has enacted a new…
Sentencing for father who pleaded guilty to running over, killing 8-month-old son postponed

Sentencing Delayed for Father in Tragic Case of Infant Son’s Death

During the sentencing hearing, both the prosecution and the defense shared substantial…
Cardi B welcomes fourth child, first with boyfriend Stefon Diggs

Cardi B Celebrates Birth of Fourth Child, Her First with Partner Stefon Diggs

Celebrated Grammy winner Cardi B has joyously announced the arrival of her…