Outstanding Illinois House Majority Leader – and proud 46th Ward Democrat – Greg Harris is retiring and there is now an exciting “open seat” race among six candidates running to succeed him. Housing / housing affordability issues were always a priority for Leader Harris, who championed state housing funding for homeless LGBTQ youth, seniors, immigrants, people with disabilities and many other communities in our district.
We all know the cost of housing is a critical issue impacting everyone – of all backgrounds and income levels – in our community. That’s why 46th Ward Democrats – in conjunction with Indivisible – has organized this Zoom forum to hear directly from these State Representative candidates on this topic. We need to know their views and what they would do in Springfield to impact housing affordability and access.
TOPICS TO BE ADDRESSED ON THE ZOOM FORUM INCLUDE:
- PROPERTY TAXES
- STATE PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS
- HOUSING FOR VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES
- ADDRESSING UTILITY COSTS – GAS, HEAT, WATER, ELECTRICITY
- COALITION BUILDING LOCALLY TO ADDRESS HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESS
- Q+A BETWEEN PARTICIPANTS AND CANDIDATES
Background: Housing and Affordable Housing in Chicago
Indivisible IL9 Antiracist Work Group discussed housing and affordable housing at the February 27, 2022 meeting. The following resources were shared:
“The Chicago Housing Authority Explained [South Side Weekly Feb 2022]
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Can The New Affordable Requirements Ordinance Help Solve Chicago’s Housing Inequality? [South Side Weekly Feb 2022]
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Recently, Peirce Racial Equity Parents’ Group (REP) presented a workshop about affordable housing
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If you have time, watch the presentation here [1hr 24m]
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Don’t have time to watch? See the slide deck here (lots of good info in there – it’s worth paging through).
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Additional affordable housing resources were provided from ONE Northside
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Here is some news about some current affordable housing projects going on in Chicago:
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Rehab Of Historical Lincoln Park Hotel Into Affordable Studio Apartments Primed To Get Key City Funding [Block Club Chicago, Feb 2022]
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City, Activists Clash Over Woodlawn Housing Plans [WTTV Feb 2022]
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Last year, the city announced that Chicago’s first net-zero all-affordable high-rise would be built in the Loop. Watch an informational video about the project here. This design was chosen as part of the city’s C40 Reinventing Cities Competition.
We cannot talk about affordable housing without also considering Chicago’s long history—which goes on today—of segregation. FIRSTHAND: Segregation is an in-depth resource from WTTV featuring videos, essays, and more. Learn about Chicago history, hear personal stories from Chicagoans, and much more. Some highlights:
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How Did Chicago Become So Segregated? By Inventing Modern Segregation
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Talks | FIRSTHAND: Segregation: A series of short videos (~10 min each) of residents discussing their own experiences of segregation in Chicago
