Committee on Housing and Real Estate meeting, May 8, 2024
- When: Wed, May 8, 2024, 1:00 PM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Housing and Real Estate
- Video: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/944151188
- Transcript: full text (33,754 words, official captions)
Meeting notes
AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.
The Committee on Housing and Real Estate, chaired by Alderperson Byron Sigcho-López, held a subject matter hearing on the Chicago Housing Authority, requested by resolution from Alderperson Gilbert Villegas. Twenty-three public commenters, many of them CHA residents and resident leaders, described broken elevators, pests, mold, maintenance delays, property management problems and long waiting lists, and several called for new CHA leadership. CEO Tracy Scott presented on CHA's programs, new construction, the Restore Home plan to renovate vacant scattered-site buildings, and planned customer service improvements. Members questioned CHA on developer fee sharing, land dispositions, reserves, maintenance oversight, elevator modernization, vacancies, waiting lists, property managers and evictions, and requested many written answers through the chair; the committee also approved its rule 45 report, and the chair said CHA would return in the fall.
Topics: Chicago Housing Authority, public housing maintenance, scattered-site vacancies, Restore Home plan, property management oversight, elevators, CHA waiting lists, developer fees, land dispositions, housing choice vouchers
Agenda items discussed
- 21:13 Public comment
- 1:15:27 Approval of the rule 45 report from April 10, 2024: passed
- 1:16:11 Subject matter hearing on the Chicago Housing Authority: discussed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Byron Sigcho-López (chair): Explained that public comment would be limited to 15 speakers at two minutes each, with priority for CHA residents and waitlisted applicants, and later extended the number of speakers. (22:43); Read pending questions from members on CHA capital funds and red tape, blocks with long-pending complaints, and housing for homeless CPS students. (3:51:53); Said the administration's position is that CHA land should be used for affordable and public housing and that CHA would return in the fall to answer members' questions. (3:56:50)
- Gilbert Villegas (alderperson): Said he requested the hearing because he lived in CHA housing as a child and is concerned nearly 500 scattered-site properties were reported vacant while many wait for assistance. (1:41:08); Said vacant properties have become public safety problems and called for accountability and transparency from CHA leadership. (1:42:23); Asked whether CHA seeks a share of developer fees, what its policy is, and how that unrestricted money is spent, requesting written answers. (1:43:31)
- Jessica L. Fuentes (alderperson): Described constituents' living conditions, including a child who lost his hearing after a roach infestation, and said public housing must be maintained to a good standard. (1:49:14); Asked what other CHA land dispositions are planned after the land lease for a soccer facility. (1:51:47); Asked how much CHA holds in reserves and how it plans to spend them, citing a 2015 audit. (1:55:21)
- Maria E. Hadden (alderperson): Said management companies in her ward still had not completed items agreed to in site visits and asked about CHA's oversight and whether it has evaluated managing properties itself. (2:04:57); Described tenants fearing retaliation for complaints, citing a resident whose kitchen sink was fitted with bathroom hardware. (2:08:10); Asked for yearly data on the Choose to Own homeownership program, noting the total seemed small over 20 years. (2:10:12)
- Pat Dowell (alderperson): Recommended that the committee hear more often from CHA residents and the Central Advisory Council. (2:45:28); Asked about supply back orders affecting repairs at Dearborn Homes after meeting CHA about security, rodents and hardware. (2:46:15); Said she hesitates to put TIF money into new mixed-income construction when existing mixed-income sites have deferred maintenance. (2:49:33)
- David H. Moore (alderperson): Said CHA needs a partnership among the agency, the Central Advisory Council and property managers to serve residents well. (3:01:40); Asked for a breakdown of which property management companies received former WCDC properties, concerned that challenging properties may be concentrated with one company. (3:08:51); Asked what maintenance process was in place for Dearborn Homes elevators installed during its rehab. (3:11:45)
- Gregory I. Mitchell (alderperson): Described a severe mouse infestation and poor repairs at a scattered-site complex in his ward, and treatment of tenants by the management company, before CHA renovated it. (3:25:17); Asked CHA to examine other sites managed by the same company. (3:30:07); Asked what oversight CHA has of investors who own many single-family homes rented through the voucher program. (3:30:56)
- Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (alderperson): Asked for waiting list breakdowns by age and ethnicity and average wait times. (3:34:13); Said many seniors in Edgewater come to her office facing eviction, and asked about rent increases that could displace people. (3:35:04); Asked about the Yardi system and whether CHA has a centralized system for tracking work orders like 311. (3:38:31)
Exchanges between members
- 1:46:48 The chair assured Alderperson Gilbert Villegas his questions would be answered through the chair.
- 1:49:14 Alderperson Jessica L. Fuentes said she shares the frustrations expressed by Alderperson Gilbert Villegas.
- 2:06:13 Alderperson Maria E. Hadden built on Alderperson Jessica L. Fuentes mold question, calling CHA's answer to it unsatisfactory.
- 3:13:00 Alderperson David H. Moore referred to Alderperson Maria E. Hadden question about CHA managing its own properties.
- 3:33:28 The chair thanked Vice Chair Gregory I. Mitchell.
- 3:51:50 The chair thanked Alderperson Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth.