# Committee on Housing and Real Estate meeting, May 14, 2025

- When: Wed, May 14, 2025, 12:00 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](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/committee/housing-and-real-estate)
- Video: https://vimeo.com/1084326942
- Transcript: [full text](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/transcripts/1084326942.txt) (8,390 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 recording of this Committee on Housing and Real Estate meeting, chaired by Alderperson Byron Sigcho-López, begins partway through the agenda. The committee recommended approval of a renewed and amended lease for a Department of Finance payment center, a land transfer to NeighborSpace for the 134th Place community-managed open space along the Little Calumet River (after accepting a second substitute), and a series of city-owned land sales, including a church parking lot, a public sculpture park, residential developments, a community garden, and multiple side-lot sales through the ChiBlockBuilder platform. One item was held at the sponsor's request. The committee also accepted a substitute ordinance removing the economic disclosure statement requirement for short-term temporary occupancy agreements as part of the city's cut-the-red-tape effort and recommended passage, with Alderperson Marty Quinn recorded in opposition. Passed items were to be reported at the May 21, 2025 City Council meeting.

Topics: city land sales, ChiBlockBuilder, community open space, city leases, economic disclosure statements, affordable housing requirements, cut the red tape

### Agenda items discussed

- [16:08](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=968) Renewed and amended lease for a Department of Finance payment center: passed
- [20:35](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=1235) Item 3 (held at the request of the sponsor): held
- [21:07](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=1267) Substitute ordinance transferring city-owned parcels to NeighborSpace for the 134th Place community-managed open space (10th Ward): passed
- [31:43](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=1903) Transfer of city-owned property at 4110 West Monroe Street to a church for continued use as a parking lot (28th Ward): passed
- [33:35](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=2015) Sale of city-owned property at 946 East 75th Street to Floating Museum for a public sculpture park (6th Ward) (O2025-0016723): passed
- [35:33](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=2133) Sale of city-owned property at 6441 South Maryland Avenue to a church for a public plaza (20th Ward)
- [40:42](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=2442) Item 8, a land sale in the 4th Ward (presentation only partly captured): passed
- [41:18](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=2478) Sale of city-owned property at 6444 North Francisco Avenue to JD Housing LLC for a three-unit building (50th Ward) (O2025-0016720): passed
- [45:01](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=2701) Sale of city-owned property at 2241 and 2245 West Monroe Street for a 20-unit residential building (27th Ward): passed
- [59:16](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=3556) Sale of city-owned property at 442 West Root Street for a single-family home (11th Ward): passed
- [1:03:20](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=3800) Sale of city-owned property on South Kerr Avenue for a community garden (28th Ward) (O2025-0016701): passed
- [1:05:34](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=3934) Side-lot sale of city-owned property at 5116 South Wolcott Avenue (16th Ward) (O2025-0016722): passed
- [1:08:04](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=4084) Side-lot sales of city-owned properties in multiple wards: passed
- [1:13:33](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=4413) Substitute ordinance amending chapters 2-51 and 2-54 to modify economic disclosure statement requirements for temporary occupancy agreements: passed

### Alderpersons who spoke

- [Byron Sigcho-López](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/25) (chair): Responded to a visiting student's question by saying the committee's work is to ensure there is enough housing for everyone in Chicago. ([57:10](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=3430)); Asked the mayor's office to explain how the economic disclosure change came about and how much time it could save. ([1:17:53](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=4673)); Said the committee will continue working with departments on the cut-the-red-tape initiative. ([1:20:18](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=4818))
- [Gregory I. Mitchell](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/7) (alderperson): Asked whether the 134th Place project had come before the committee last year and whether earlier issues had been resolved and the local alderperson supports it. ([30:13](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=1813))
- [Pat Dowell](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/3) (alderperson): Asked staff to explain why the economic disclosure ordinance is needed, what the substitute changes, and its impact. ([1:16:03](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=4563)); Asked for examples of how temporary occupancy agreements are used, including festivals and community gatherings. ([1:16:45](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=4605)); Asked whether renewals return to the council and whether the disclosure requirement would then apply. ([1:19:15](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=4755))

### Exchanges between members

- [1:16:01](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1?t=4561) Sigcho-López recognized Dowell for questions on the economic disclosure ordinance.

## Documents

- [Summary](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/3463f726-7718-4007-b12f-22b09bbe2e68.pdf)
- [Notice](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/adbd1b05-d1f9-4107-b549-01d4be0d9d70.pdf)
- [Agenda](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/21a01338-e0bd-4955-918c-de1157d9216e.pdf)
- [Summary](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/4ce00ff9-0787-44de-bdb0-da4427cc4db7.pdf)
- [Notice](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/3a527d92-7671-4a4a-8819-766021c9f7c0.pdf)

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Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/3DCBCA3F-FC24-F011-9989-001DD80942E1 · Chicago Politics, an independent, nonpartisan tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt