[remote or in person] Committee on Housing and Real Estate
Chicago City Council
Housing
Politics
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025
10:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m. CST
121 N LaSalle St Chicago 60602 (Directions)
City Hall
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Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team
Live reporting by
Anson Tong
Nominations for a city board that helps low-income Chicagoans find housing were put on pause after some alders said the candidate pool isn’t diverse enough to equitably represent the city.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The agenda can be found here: s3.amazonaws.com/s3.documentclo…
s3.amazonaws.com/s3.documentclo…
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Members of the Committee on Housing and Real Estate are listed here: chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov/Legislative-Bo…
chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov/Legislative-Bo…
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The meeting is now commencing at 10:09am. The chair, Ald. Sigcho-Lopez, calls it to order.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Quinn brings up the removal of an item from the agenda. He requests an explanation and the return of the item to the agenda. He suggests that it is a retaliatory move to remove the item from the agenda because it appears in recommendations.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The item is at 6411 South Central and he repeats his request for the item to be placed on the agenda and asks for a roll call for this to be introduced. Ald. Sigcho-Lopez says that Ald. Quinn's staff was asked for information. Ald. Quinn repeats that he "knows the score."
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Sigcho-Lopez tries to explain while Ald. Quinn continues to ask for a motion. Ald. Sigcho-Lopez says it can be reintroduced to committee but they cannot hear it today because the department is not here. Ald. Sigcho-Lopez says that this was about the sale of a firehouse.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Sigcho-Lopez states that they had asked Ald. Quinn for a letter of engagement but Ald. Quinn hadn't provided one so the item will be heard if he reintroduces it to committee, with due process.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Quinn hands the Chair a letter but Ald. Sigcho-Lopez says this is not a letter of support. The Chair has to ask Ald. Quinn to allow him to speak.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The chair asks if someone can bring a person from the department down to hear this. He calls a recess.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The meeting is called back to order by the chair. The chair says that he wants to get someone from the law department to look at this and reiterates that the only reason the item was not on the agenda is due process.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Lindsay Sonenthal from the law department says that this item cannot be heard today due to the Open Meetings Act, since it did not appear on the agenda.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The vice chair, Ald. Mitchell, notes that the agenda was sent out several times in advance of the meeting but did not hear back from the Department of Planning and Development on Friday.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The chair says that they are publicly committing to hear Ald. Quinn's item at the next earliest opportunity.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Public comment #1 is from Desiree Robinson, an Englewood resident for over 50 years, speaking in support of the Englewood Nature Trail project.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Public comment #2 wants to talk about how housing is set up as far as it relates to "justice-impacted individuals." He has recently been released from incarceration and lists examples of poor treatment he has personally experienced. He is employed and struggling to find housing.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Public commenter #2 points out that he lacks credit history and so being asked for credit checks when renting is an impediment. There are many problems with lack of access to housing—-he doesn't have his own space, he cannot invite his children over.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Public commenter #3 claims that the chair has demonstrated "anti-American sentiment." He asks why the chair has not been held accountable.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Public commenter #4 is Iliana Rivera Haven, speaking as an organizer for Access Living. She points out that the city's shelters are inaccessible and endangering disabled lives. She tells a story of an older couple who were unexpectedly evicted and seeking housing for 50 days.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The only wheelchair-accessible shelter does not have accessible beds or allow personal assistants. The couple has been living in their truck during this winter. She notes that this story can be found in their Chicago Sun-Times letter to the editor. chicago.suntimes.com/letters-to-the…
chicago.suntimes.com/letters-to-the…
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Public comment #5 is from a member of the public who accuses city council of "waste and fraud and racism," and cooperation with real estate developers.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Public commenters #6 represent an urban farm in Pilsen that will be affected by the ChiBlockBuilder land sale agenda item that will be under consideration by the committee later. They note that they have overwhelming support from neighbors.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The first order of business is the Rule 45 report from January 7, 2025 which was emailed and handed out to committee members. The chair makes a motion for approval of this report. The Rule 45 report is approved.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The next item is appointments to the Chicago Low-Income Housing Trust Fund Board. These are to fill vacancies. There are eight appointments. Most of the appointees are present in the room.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The list of appointments can be found in the agenda. Each appointee is giving a short statement and taking questions.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Sam Paler-Ponce is currently Associate Director of City Policy at Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness and he started his career as a direct service provider. linkedin.com/in/sampalerpon…
linkedin.com/in/sampalerpon…
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Isabel Kennon is a Program Specialist at the Illinois Justice Project. Kennon worked on the evaluation of reentry housing programs. linkedin.com/in/isabel-kenn…
linkedin.com/in/isabel-kenn…
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Fatmah Farraj is Vice President at Mercy Housing Lakefront. Farraj believes housing is a right, not a privilege. linkedin.com/in/fatmah-farr…
linkedin.com/in/fatmah-farr…
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau David Kern is Deputy Commissioner at Chicago Department of Public Health. CDPH is often involved in the intersection of public health and housing. linkedin.com/in/david-kern-…
linkedin.com/in/david-kern-…
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Dr. Milka Ramirez works as Dean of Instruction at City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J. Daley College. She has both personal and professional experience in this area. linkedin.com/in/milka-ram%C…
linkedin.com/in/milka-ram%C…
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Cameron Kinch is a Project Manager at Chicago Department of Family and Support Services. He also has past experience in the homeless service sector. linkedin.com/in/cameron-kin…
linkedin.com/in/cameron-kin…
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Meredith Muir is Chicago Recovery Plan Program Manager at the Department of Housing. She previously worked in direct service in nonprofits. linkedin.com/in/meredith-l-…
linkedin.com/in/meredith-l-…
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Burnett thanks all appointees for their civic duty and acknowledges the time and effort they are offering.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The Executive Director of Chicago Low-Income Housing Trust Fund, Annissa Lambirth-Garrett, is present to answer questions. linkedin.com/in/annissa-lam…
linkedin.com/in/annissa-lam…
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Moore asks about the racial makeup of the current board and how outreach for filling the new vacancies was, noting concern about the low number of Black appointments.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Fuentes asks about the two still empty vacancies after these appointees and Ald. Moore emphasizes his interest in how recruitment for these positions worked.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Dowell supports what Ald. Moore suggests. Ald. Dowell points out most of the work of the trust is in the south and west sides of the city.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Manaa-Hoppenworth shares the concerns Ald. Dowell and Ald. Moore have voiced. Ald. Manaa-Hoppenworth says she believes the city is in a crisis and is concerned about how the city is allocating resources. Ald. Manaa-Hoppenworth asks about the expediency of the work.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The executive director shares that the system has been completely automated and that they conduct verifications on landlords. There was a 1% delinquency rate last year on paying landlords.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Manaa-Hoppenworth asks the appointees how housing can be supplied faster and notes the loss of Heartland Housing as a setback.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Dr. Milka Ramirez acknowledges the importance of coordination across the different entities represented in order to streamline the process. David Kern seconds this, and points out that the HIV housing project he works on has dedicated funding which is helpful.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Meredith Muir adds that all the tools in the toolkit need to work well and CLIHTF is just one tool. Fatmah Farraj notes that the city is also in need of more housing in general and to be able to build housing much, much faster.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The chair brings up previously raised questions about diversity and representation on the board and asks Sendy Soto, Chief Homelessness Officer for the City of Chicago, to address this. linkedin.com/in/sotosendy/
linkedin.com/in/sotosendy/
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Soto notes that there are requirements of experience for appointment. There was outreach to a wide variety of organizations and offered an appointment to a former appointee who declined the appointment. Soto also notes that Dr. Ramirez identifies as Afro-Latina.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Villegas asks whether there are any veterans on the board. There are currently not. One of the appointees, Dr. Ramirez, served in the military.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Villegas asks about city employees on the board, and whether that's by statute. It is not by statute. Ald. Villegas expresses confusion on selection of people who are already working on these issues "on the inside."
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Soto responds that the Department of Housing (DOH) is involved in the management of funds and so people familiar with the bureaucracy are valuable to the organization.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The executive director of CLIHFT notes that she will be stepping down this year and would be happy to serve on the board as well.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Taylor says that the representation is insufficient. She motions to hold all nominations until there is a better system to seek representation from the South and West Sides of the city.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The chair asks whether they should finish out the questioning and then do the motion. Ald. La Spata asks for a rules and procedures clarification about where the motion falls. The chair clarifies that it's a motion to table this.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Dowell asks for a map of housing vouchers and residences of the board members. Ald. Moore asks for a list of the African American organizations that were reached out to and about people who declined appointments.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Harris notes that South Shore has the greatest number of vouchers in the South Side and that South Shore should be represented.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Item #10 on the agenda. Brian O'Donnell from DOH is present to testify on this item. They are requesting approval to amend an existing redevelopment agreement to add 7 lots on S Calumet Ave to the existing agreement.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau No other proposals were received for these lots. They were removed from the original agreement because of a misclassification.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Scott has requested Item #22 on the agenda next. Ald. Dowell requests an indication of the size of the lots for sale.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Item 12 is next, with Will Holand from DPD presenting. It is roughly 3/4 of an acre total and the project is funded by Chicago Recovery Plan bond. It is part of a larger remediation of city-owned lots.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Next up, item 13. Taylor Thompson from DPD is present to testify on this item.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau This item is the proposed sale of a pedestrian access easement. The city parcel is in the Woodlawn community area.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Item 14 is the next item on the agenda. Taylor Thompson from DPD is also testifying on this ordinance. The DPD has support from Ald. Dowell.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Dowell asks for the lot sizes for the sake of transparency. Mr. Thompson says he will provide it through the chair.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The committee moves on to item 15. Taylor Thompson from DPD presents on this. Ald. Chico supports. This is a ChiBlockBuilder side yard land sale.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Item #17. The chair proposes to amend the item to correct the spelling of "not secure founding" to "not secure funding." This motion is approved.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Alejandro Valverde from DPD presents this item. Ald. Ervin has supplied a letter of support. This item is in North Lawndale.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Next up is Item #18. The chair proposes another spelling correction for an error. The motion passes.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Alejandro Valverde from DPD is also presenting this item. Ald. Ervin supports this.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The next item on the agenda is item #20. The chair proposes to amend this to correct the spelling of Humboldt Park. This motion passes.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Item #21 is next on the agenda. Alejandro Valverde is testifying again from DPD.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Since Item #22 was done earlier, next is Item #23. Meg Gustafson from DPD is present to testify. This is located in the 29th ward.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Item #24. The chair motions to correct the spelling of Fred Williams's name. Meg Gustafson from DPD is presenting again. This project is called Eat to Live Farm. It's in Greater Grand Crossing.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau NeighborSpace, the buyer, operate a farm a block away and wish to expand their operations.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The second sale in this item is in Ald. Coleman's ward. Fred Williams is a lifelong Englewood resident and he plans to create an intergenerational community plaza and gathering space.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The next item on the agenda is Item #25. Meg Gustafson from DPD presents on this ordinance.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Erika Selke from DPD presents. The city is proposing to sell parcels to facilitate the development of a light industrial building. The site was identified as a superfund site and was cleaned up in the 2000s. The city demolished a property on the site as well.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau The final item on the agenda, Item #27, is up next. Dawveed Scully and Taylor Thompson from DPD are presenting. DPD will leverage corporate funds and potential acquisitions have been reviewed and approved by impacted alderpeople. This motion passes.
@CHIdocumenters @city_bureau Ald. Harris motions to recess until Tuesday at 12:30pm. Ald. Fuentes seconds, and this motion passes. The meeting ends. For more meeting coverage, check out . documenters.org
documenters.org
Attachments
3 attachments
Agency Information
Chicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago and consists of the Mayor and Aldermen elected from each of the City’s fifty wards. Source
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Meetings are also livestreamed at https://www.chicityclerk.com/.
At this link, scroll down to “Meeting Notices.” Look for “Watch now” and click on the link with the meeting title to go to a livestream page. If you don’t see a link for the meeting, you may be early or the meeting may be starting late. Wait a few moments and try refreshing your Internet tab.
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