Committee on Finance meeting, December 11, 2023
- When: Mon, Dec 11, 2023, 10:00 AM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Finance
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8928482/video/892731985
- Transcript: full text (16,892 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 Finance, chaired by Alderperson Pat Dowell, held its final meeting of 2023 and considered extensions of the Lincoln Avenue and Greater Southwest Industrial Corridor East TIF districts to 2035, an amended redevelopment agreement for the long-vacant former dumping site at 4300 West Roosevelt Road, housing financing for the United Yards project and the Revive Center, and three legal settlements. Department of Planning and Development staff described the Roosevelt Road amendment's job requirements and new profit-sharing provision, and members asked about local hiring, rates of return, contractor participation and compliance monitoring. Law Department attorneys presented a $515,000 workplace harassment settlement, a $2 million settlement in a 2014 police shooting case previously rejected by the council, and an $8.75 million settlement in a 2021 police shooting case, with members asking about officer histories, discipline, indemnification and trial risk. All items were recommended for passage by voice vote, with several members named as voting no on the $2 million police shooting settlement. One public commenter spoke.
Topics: TIF extensions, 4300 West Roosevelt redevelopment, profit sharing, affordable housing, supportive housing, police shooting settlements, workplace harassment settlement, small claims
Agenda items discussed
- 20:10 October and November 2023 Rule 45 reports: passed
- 20:48 Amendment No. 1 to the Lincoln Avenue TIF redevelopment plan extending the district: passed
- 21:51 Amendment No. 2 to the Greater Southwest Industrial Corridor East TIF redevelopment plan extending the district: passed
- 28:29 Amended TIF redevelopment agreement with 4300 Roosevelt LLC for industrial and community development at 4300 West Roosevelt Road: passed
- 1:12:37 Multifamily housing revenue bonds and assistance to New City Redevelopment LP for the United Yards 1A affordable housing project on West 47th Street: passed
- 1:20:37 Loan modification agreement with Revive Center for Housing and Healing at 1660-1674 West Ogden Avenue: passed
- 1:34:44 Payment of various small claims against the city: passed
- 1:35:03 Denial of various small claims against the city: passed
- 1:35:24 Charitable solicitation tag day permits for The Nature Conservancy and the ACLU: passed
- 1:36:11 Department of Law reports of verdicts, judgments and settlements for November 2023
- 1:36:51 Settlement in James Mundo v. City of Chicago ($515,000): passed
- 1:40:33 Settlement in police shooting case involving the death of Jerry Cole-Garrett ($2,000,000): passed
- 2:01:45 Settlement in Patrick Jenkins v. City of Chicago ($8,750,000): passed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Pat Dowell (chair): Asked to what extent North Lawndale residents would be prioritized for the 250 jobs at the Roosevelt Road project. (38:27); Asked whether profit-sharing revenue from the Roosevelt Road project would return to the TIF district or go to the city's general funds. (43:20); Congratulated the development team and Alderperson Monique L. Scott on moving the long-vacant Roosevelt Road site toward development. (1:08:55)
- Andre Vasquez Jr. (alderperson): Supported extending the Lincoln Avenue TIF, saying it is one of the few tools for adding affordable housing in the 40th Ward. (26:23); Said a prior encounter between the officers and the deceased raised concerns that could be corroborated at trial and asked how much the city had spent litigating the case. (1:58:09); Said that because the city cannot gain money from the case and could lose more at trial, settling makes fiscal sense. (1:59:41)
- Daniel La Spata (alderperson): Asked why the Lincoln Avenue TIF district has a carved-out area in the middle of its boundary. (25:21); Asked how the 25 percent internal rate of return threshold for profit sharing compares to typical industrial projects and how long it would take to reach. (39:37); Praised the energy efficiency work at the Revive Center building and asked whether affordability would last for the 30-year loan extension. (1:27:25)
- William Conway (alderperson): Asked whether construction jobs count toward the 250-job requirement and whether the rate of return is calculated on equity or total project cost. (37:31); Asked what construction is being financed at the Revive Center building beyond the ground-floor space. (1:30:52); Asked when the initial complaint in the Mundo harassment case was made. (1:40:05)
- Walter R. Burnett (alderperson): Said the vacant Roosevelt Road site depresses surrounding properties and that its development would enhance the community and attract businesses. (44:07); Said the TIF was intended to spur jobs and area investment rather than profit, and welcomed the added profit sharing. (46:18); Asked what the developer's nonprofit partner would do at the site and praised the planned community solar installation. (47:06)
- David H. Moore (alderperson): Praised 548 Development's record of hiring from the community and including minority-owned subcontractors. (49:42); Asked for the ownership percentages of the development partners and for contractor participation figures broken out by soft and hard costs. (51:15)
- Jeanette B. Taylor (alderperson): Asked whether the developer is the same Related Midwest that owns Parkway Gardens and who in the department monitors redevelopment agreements. (53:08); Said follow-up reporting on redevelopment agreements in her ward has been lacking and asked to receive compliance reports. (54:02); Supported the United Yards project as the product of months of community meetings and said it would bring a local business and new apartments to the area. (1:18:23)
- Scott Waguespack (alderperson): Said his questions had already been asked and answered by Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor. (56:07)
- Jason C. Ervin (alderperson): Asked why profit sharing was needed and how the compliance period compares to a typical redevelopment agreement. (56:18); Asked whether the profit sharing is capped or perpetual and said he wanted to ensure the arrangement did not put other developers at a disadvantage. (58:13); Asked whether the accused fire department official is still employed by the city. (1:39:43)
- Emma Mitts (alderperson): Echoed praise for the development team and its work on the West Side. (1:00:44); Asked how and when subcontractors get paid on TIF-funded construction projects. (1:02:14); Recommended that the ward track contractor and community hiring compliance on site rather than relying only on the department. (1:03:26)
- Gregory I. Mitchell (alderperson): Praised the project and asked where profit-sharing money would go if the TIF district had closed. (1:07:34); Asked who the prime contractor would be. (1:08:36)
- Monique L. Scott (alderperson): Credited former Alderperson Gregory I. Mitchell Scott Jr. and the prior administration with the project's vision and described the site as a long-standing dumping ground. (1:09:30); Said the project could encourage other developers to invest in North Lawndale and bring economic impact to the community. (1:10:30)
- Chris Taliaferro (alderperson): Asked what happened between the two times the settlement came before the council, including any talks between the parties. (1:50:51)
- Nicole T. Lee (alderperson): Asked the Law Department to describe how malicious intent may or may not have occurred in the case. (1:52:03)
- Nicholas Sposato (alderperson): Asked whether the city pays nothing if it wins at trial and confirmed that a gun was found but prints could not be identified. (1:52:53); Said he supports the Jenkins settlement and asked the child's age and Mr. Craig's criminal history. (2:15:10)
- Brian Hopkins (alderperson): Said rejecting a settlement and losing at trial would be the council's responsibility, and asked whether the plaintiff's effort to compel the settlement suggests the city has a strong case. (1:53:57)
- Derrick G. Curtis (alderperson): Said settling the Jenkins case was in the city's best interest and asked whether the Law Department has its own investigators. (2:09:58)
- Matthew J. O'Shea (alderperson): Asked about the disciplinary history of the officer who fired his weapon. (2:11:48)
Exchanges between members
- 49:06 Alderperson Walter R. Burnett commended Alderperson Monique L. Scott for advancing development in her ward.
- 50:12 Alderperson David H. Moore referenced Alderperson Walter R. Burnett point that 548 Development works throughout the city.
- 56:07 Alderperson Scott Waguespack said Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor had already asked his questions.
- 1:00:44 Alderperson Emma Mitts echoed Alderperson Walter R. Burnett sentiments about the development team.
- 1:03:26 Alderperson Emma Mitts recommended that Alderperson Monique L. Scott have someone track compliance at the site.
- 1:04:36 Alderperson Emma Mitts congratulated Alderperson Monique L. Scott on moving the project forward.
- 1:07:39 Alderperson Gregory I. Mitchell congratulated Alderperson Monique L. Scott on the project.
- 1:07:50 Alderperson Gregory I. Mitchell followed up on Alderperson Jason C. Ervin questions about profit sharing.
- 1:09:08 Chair Pat Dowell congratulated Alderperson Monique L. Scott and invited her to speak on the project.
- 1:27:25 Alderperson Daniel La Spata tipped his hat to his 27th Ward colleague on the Revive Center project.
- 1:31:12 Alderperson William Conway referenced Alderperson Walter R. Burnett description of the building's ground-floor space in his question.
- 1:58:24 Alderperson Andre Vasquez Jr. said he was glad Alderperson Nicole T. Lee asked about the officers' earlier encounter with the deceased.
- 2:00:03 Chair Pat Dowell thanked Alderperson Andre Vasquez Jr. before weighing in on the settlement.