Committee on Housing and Real Estate meeting, August 28, 2023
- When: Mon, Aug 28, 2023, 9:30 AM (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/849266716
- Transcript: full text (27,076 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 considered 11 ordinances and received the Department of Housing's first-quarter 2023 report. The longest discussion concerned the city's acquisition of about 10.7 acres at 3034 West Foster Avenue from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District for $1.5 million, to be used first as a temporary migrant shelter; members asked about funding sources, upkeep costs and shelter operations, a motion by Alderperson David H. Moore to hold the item failed on a roll call, and the item was then recommended for passage. The committee also recommended passage of right-of-way acquisitions for the Burley Avenue roadway project in the 10th Ward, a right-of-entry extension on South Commercial Avenue, several city land sales including Adjacent Neighbors Land Acquisition Program sales, and a multifamily loan for the Island Terrace Apartments rehabilitation in the 5th Ward. Members questioned the acting housing commissioner about construction costs, homeownership programs, the city lots program and the coming five-year housing plan.
Topics: migrant shelter, property acquisition, TIF funding, roadway right-of-way, city land sales, affordable housing, low income housing tax credits, homeownership, five-year housing plan, construction costs
Agenda items discussed
- 22:22 Rule 45 reports from July 10 and July 27, 2023: passed
- 22:54 Acquisition of property at 3034 West Foster Avenue from MWRD, including use as a migrant shelter (39th Ward): passed
- 1:13:26 Acquisition of parcels for Burley Avenue roadway improvement project (10th Ward): passed
- 1:47:43 Renewal of right-of-entry agreement with 548 Capital LLC for 8840-8848 South Commercial Avenue (10th Ward): passed
- 1:52:01 Sale of city-owned property at 4441 South Ellis Avenue to Greg and Nina Davis (4th Ward)
- 2:01:09 Sale of city-owned property at 4005 South Dearborn Street to New Horizon Steel LLC (3rd Ward) (O2023-0003076): passed
- 2:08:46 Sale of city-owned property at 2215 West Warren Boulevard to Makima Atkins (27th Ward): passed
- 2:16:11 Negotiated sale of city-owned property at 3451 West Harrison Street to Spirit of Truth Missionary Baptist Church (24th Ward): passed
- 2:20:29 Adjacent Neighbors Land Acquisition sale of 1513 South Kenneth Avenue (24th Ward): passed
- 2:24:32 Adjacent Neighbors Land Acquisition sale of 1832 South Sawyer Avenue to Heather Ferguson (24th Ward): passed
- 2:26:24 Adjacent Neighbors Land Acquisition sale of 6921 South Paulina Street (17th Ward): passed
- 2:28:33 Multifamily loan and low income housing tax credits for Island Terrace Apartments, 6430 South Stony Island Avenue (5th Ward) (O2023-0003075): passed
- 2:48:09 Department of Housing 2023 first-quarter report: discussed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Byron Sigcho-López (chair): Explained that a yes vote would be in favor of Alderperson David H. Moore motion to hold the Foster Avenue item and a no vote against it. (57:47); Announced that the motion to hold the item failed and debate would continue. (1:03:45); Encouraged members to take part in developing the next five-year housing plan, citing a shortage of about 120,000 housing units and the right to counsel program. (3:22:58)
- Jeanette B. Taylor (alderperson): Asked about the timeline for the Foster Avenue shelter, costs beyond the $1.5 million purchase, and how long the building would be used as a shelter. (27:35); Said she was concerned about spending $1.5 million on the building without upkeep costs and asked for a list of other properties considered for shelters. (28:50); Said the city should learn from problems at existing shelters and asked what would be done differently, including on security and conditions inside shelters. (32:36)
- David H. Moore (alderperson): Said he could not support the Foster Avenue acquisition until the funding source was clear, raising equity concerns about funds for recreational facilities in Englewood. (44:32); Said there was no clear strategy for assisting asylum seekers with county, state and federal partners and asked why MWRD was not using the building itself. (46:15); Moved to hold the item until the funding source was clear. (48:07)
- Samantha Nugent (alderperson): Spoke in support of the Foster Avenue acquisition, describing the vacated Marine Corps property as an opportunity for housing new arrivals, early childhood programming and city equipment staging. (1:00:57); Said she was willing to put her ward's TIF funding into the project, noting it would still need to go through the TIF committee. (1:01:52)
- Monique L. Scott (alderperson): Said she had spoken with Alderperson Samantha Nugent, who supported using her TIF funds for the project with a long-term goal of recreational and park uses. (49:34); Said she supported the 1513 South Kenneth sale if the applicant fences the lot and asked for written confirmation before closing. (2:22:19)
- Lamont J. Robinson (alderperson): Asked what the plan was to use women and minority contractors for repair work on the Foster Avenue property. (1:06:22); Thanked the planning staff, apologized to the applicants for the 18-year wait, and supported the sale of 4441 South Ellis Avenue to a longtime neighbor. (1:56:34)
- Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (alderperson): Supported the Foster Avenue acquisition, called for permanent supportive housing solutions and asked whether the shelter would serve singles or families. (1:07:25); Asked whether the coming five-year plan would make it easier and less costly to create accessory dwelling units. (3:21:07)
- Daniel La Spata (alderperson): Asked what outreach was done to stakeholders near parks and a Little League field about routing diesel truck traffic onto Burley Avenue. (1:39:05); Asked how the plan addresses health concerns for cyclists using a path alongside freight truck traffic. (1:43:12)
- Peter Chico (alderperson): Said truck traffic is a daily issue in his ward and the Burley Avenue project would move trucks off Avenue O. (1:45:54); Supported the right-of-entry extension on Commercial Avenue as part of revitalizing the South Chicago corridor. (1:50:58)
- Pat Dowell (alderperson): Asked the acting commissioner for average per-unit costs for new construction and rehab, the status of the tiny homes program, and how to speed up the city lots for working families program. (2:58:39)
- Gregory I. Mitchell (alderperson): Noted homeownership is the smallest share of commitments and asked about plans to increase homeownership in the next five years. (3:10:58); Said loss of homeownership through lack of estate planning and sales to investors has destabilized communities like his. (3:13:30)
- Maria E. Hadden (alderperson): Asked about discussions on the 2024 to 2028 five-year housing plan and how the department works with developers to close funding gaps as costs rise. (3:15:27)
Exchanges between members
- 59:17 The chair asked Alderperson David H. Moore whether it was acceptable to hear from Alderperson Samantha Nugent before voting on his motion.
- 1:02:17 The chair asked Alderperson David H. Moore whether he renewed his motion after Alderperson Samantha Nugent spoke.
- 1:35:36 Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor said she did not want to hold Alderperson Peter Chico project but wanted the departments to answer the committee's questions.
- 1:45:45 The chair recognized Alderperson Peter Chico to speak on the Burley Avenue project in his ward.