Authorization of U.S. Department Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 108 loan agreement with BR Congress Owner LLC for rehabilitation of Congress Theater at 2135 N Milwaukee Ave

Votes › Finance

• Record number: O2026-0022523
• Type: Ordinance; category: Agreements
• Status: Final
• Sponsor: Johnson, Brandon
• Committee: Committee on Finance
• Introduction Date: Jan 21, 2026
• Final Action Date: Feb 18, 2026
• Official record: Office of the City Clerk

Roll call: Passed Feb 18, 2026

49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent. On motion of Alderperson Dowell, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Harris, the matter was Passed. Voted at the City Council meeting of Feb 18, 2026.

Yea (49): Daniel La Spata (1), Brian Hopkins (2), Pat Dowell (3), Lamont J. Robinson (4), Desmon C. Yancy (5), William E. Hall (6), Gregory I. Mitchell (7), Michelle A. Harris (8), Anthony Beale (9), Peter Chico (10), Nicole T. Lee (11), Julia M. Ramirez (12), Marty Quinn (13), Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (14), Raymond A. Lopez (15), Stephanie D. Coleman (16), David H. Moore (17), Derrick G. Curtis (18), Matthew J. O'Shea (19), Jeanette B. Taylor (20), Ronnie L. Mosley (21), Michael D. Rodriguez (22), Silvana Tabares (23), Byron Sigcho-López (25), Jessica L. Fuentes (26), Walter R. Burnett (27), Jason C. Ervin (28), Chris Taliaferro (29), Ruth Cruz (30), Felix Cardona Jr. (31), Scott Waguespack (32), Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (33), William Conway (34), Anthony J. Quezada (35), Gilbert Villegas (36), Emma Mitts (37), Nicholas Sposato (38), Samantha Nugent (39), Andre Vasquez Jr. (40), Anthony V. Napolitano (41), Brendan Reilly (42), Timothy R. Knudsen (43), Bennett R. Lawson (44), James M. Gardiner (45), Angela Clay (46), Matthew J. Martin (47), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48), Maria E. Hadden (49), Debra L. Silverstein (50)

Absent (1): Monique L. Scott (24)

Plain-language summary

Written by AI (claude-opus-5-5) from the ordinance text only: O2026-0022523 C.L. Finance.pdf. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.

The City Council's Committee on Finance recommends passing an ordinance that would let the City sign a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 108 loan agreement with BR Congress Owner LLC. The loan is for a project to rehabilitate the Congress Theater at 2135 N. Milwaukee Avenue in the 1st Ward. The committee approved the recommendation by voice vote with no one voting against it on February 11, 2026.

• Authorizes a HUD Section 108 loan agreement with BR Congress Owner LLC.
• The loan is for rehabilitating the Congress Theater.
• The project is located at 2135 N. Milwaukee Avenue in the 1st Ward.
• The Committee on Finance approved it by voice vote with no dissenting votes on February 11, 2026.
• Committee Chairman Pat Dowell reported the recommendation to the full City Council on February 18, 2026.

Who: BR Congress Owner LLC, the developer of the Congress Theater rehabilitation project, is directly affected.

Where: Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee Avenue, 1st Ward

Timeline

• Jan 21, 2026: Referred, City Council. The matter was Referred to Committee.
• Feb 11, 2026: Recommended to Pass, Committee on Finance. The matter was recommended to Pass by controlling legislative body.
• Feb 18, 2026: Passed, City Council (49 yea, 0 nay), at the City Council meeting. On motion of Alderperson Dowell, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Harris, the matter was Passed.

Documents

• O2026-0022523 Mayoral Letter.pdf (Miscellaneous)
• O2026-0022523 Ordinance with Exhibit A.pdf (Legislation)
• O2026-0022523 EDS_Redacted.pdf (EDS)
• O2026-0022523 C.L. Finance.pdf (Committee Letter)

Related legislation

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• Executive Order No. 2026-7 (Senior Bill of Rights and Establishing the Mayor's Office on Aging) (F2026-0029547, introduced Dec 8, 2026, Placed on File)
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• Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Recommendations (O2026-0029642, introduced Oct 21, 2026, Referred)

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