A Housing Agenda for Chicago’s Future

Chicago’s next mayor should move the city closer to realization of the right to housing. This is not intended to suggest a merely symbolic statement, but a call to action for a comprehensive framework to expand access to decent, affordable housing that serves as the foundation for household safety and security that extends to the neighborhood. Shelter is a need shared by all, with housing existing as a multi-faceted policy priority that is no more important anywhere but Chicago.

I have worked over the past several weeks to articulate a vision and a series of proposals for the future of housing policy in Chicago, particularly focusing on a policy framework that moves the needle on increasing equity.

I will roll out the series of proposals with 4 underlying strategic approaches covering a variety of important priorities and challenges facing Chicago today:

1. Redevelop in both dis-invested housing assets and neighborhoods to ensure dignity for all residents where they are (redevelopment)
   • Proposal 1.1: Expand efforts to re-position residential properties through code enforcement and community receivership
   • Proposal 1.2: Improve market viability in low to moderate-income communities through procurement and direct investment to support Opportunity Zone eligible communities and businesses.
2. Integrate opportunity areas through value capture, mixed-income redevelopment and continuing choice-enhancing housing vouchers (integration, desegregation and mobility)
   • Proposal 2.1: Expand and re-direct the City’s Affordable Requirements Ordinance to produce more units overall, more integrated developments and better serve families.
   • Proposal 2.2: Re-focus the attention with a new strategy to crack down on housing discrimination
   • Proposal 2.3: Step up planning efforts to better deliver family housing across affordability levels
3. Preserve every form of government-subsidized, rent-restricted or naturally affordable housing resource so we don’t lose hard units or legacy government funding that will never be replaced (preservation)
   • Proposal 3.1: Re-Invigorate the Housing Preservation efforts within the Department of Planning & Development
   • Proposal 3.2: Create a $5 million revolving relocation fund to support improved relocation in public and affordable housing
   • Proposal 3.3: Provide home-repair and stabilization mortgages to homeowners to counteract unreasonable increases in home prices and tax assessments
4. Elevate households and individuals to greater opportunity by relying on housing opportunities to greater levels and bolstering protections (using housing as a platform and anti-eviction protections)
   1. Proposal 4.1: Ensure ALL tenants are treated fairly by the legal system when facing eviction
   2. Proposal 4.2: Dismantle barriers for ex-offenders to get housing across the city

While I certainly don’t have all the answers, I’ve been focused on Housing, Community and Economic Development for over 7 years as and wanted to share some concrete new initiatives, tweaks to existing initiatives or simply borrow from what already works. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a contact or get in touch with me.