Committee on Housing and Real Estate meeting, January 14, 2026
- When: Wed, Jan 14, 2026, 12:30 PM (Chicago time)
- Where: 201A, 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/showcase/8928563?video=1154385301
- Transcript: full text (25,569 words, automatic 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 heard public comment, approved the Rule 45 report, and recommended passage of nine ordinances. These included a right-of-entry extension for the Columbia Yacht Club parking lot in the 42nd Ward, five Missing Middle Infill Housing land sales in the 6th, 7th and 21st Wards, open-space land sales to Blacks in Green (Till House Museum garden) and Blocks Together (West Chicago Avenue community plaza), and a market-rate land sale to ComEd for a new electrical substation in the 27th Ward. Most public commenters spoke in support of the Blocks Together and Blacks in Green land sales. Members asked about rental rates, projected property tax revenue, per-unit construction costs, building density, contracting and workforce opportunities, and site contamination. The meeting closed with a subject matter hearing, with no vote, at which the Chief Homelessness Officer and consultants presented the draft five-year blueprint to prevent and end homelessness, which was open for public comment from January 14 through January 30.
Topics: Missing Middle housing land sales, Open space land sales, Blocks Together community plaza, Till House Museum garden, ComEd electrical substation, Columbia Yacht Club right of entry, Homelessness five-year blueprint, Property tax revenue, Workforce and contracting, Federal funding cuts
Agenda items discussed
- 14:57 Rule 59 requests for remote participation: passed
- 38:54 Rule 45 report from December 3rd meeting: passed
- 39:11 Second amendment to right of entry use agreement with Columbia Yacht Club for city-owned parking lot under northbound Lake Shore Drive, 42nd Ward: passed
- 43:16 Sale of city-owned property on West 81st Street to Simeon Manor One LLC (Missing Middle), 6th Ward: passed
- 51:38 Sale of city-owned property on East 80th Street and East 80th Place to NHS Millhouse Partners Joint Venture LLC (Missing Middle Cluster F), 7th Ward: passed
- 58:00 Sale of city-owned property on West 109th Place to Superior Source Capital LLC (Missing Middle Cluster I), 21st Ward: passed
- 1:00:29 Sale of city-owned property on West 109th Place, 110th Place and 111th Street to Fame Moore LLC (Missing Middle Cluster J), 21st Ward: passed
- 1:05:32 Sale of city-owned property on West 110th Place to Vasquez Housing Development LLC (Missing Middle Cluster K), 21st Ward: passed
- 1:08:48 Sale of city-owned property at 6421 South St. Lawrence Avenue to Blacks in Green NFP for Till House Museum garden, 20th Ward: passed
- 1:14:33 Rule request for Alderman Walter R. Burnett to finish the meeting remotely: passed
- 1:15:00 Sale of city-owned property at 3713-3717 West Chicago Avenue to Blocks Together NFP, 27th Ward: passed
- 1:34:03 Sale of city-owned property on West Lake Street and West Maypole Avenue to Commonwealth Edison Company for an electrical substation, 27th Ward: passed
- 2:05:18 Subject matter hearing on the city's five-year blueprint to end and prevent homelessness: discussed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Byron Sigcho-López (chair): Asked whether information previously requested by Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor on the Columbia Yacht Club item had been provided to her office. (42:26); Said he had communicated with Alderman William E. Hall, who would communicate with constituents about the 81st Street project. (51:01); Thanked Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor for her leadership and said remembering and doing justice to history is important. (1:13:56)
- Emma Mitts (alderperson): Called the 81st Street project a great project but questioned why the community meeting would be held after City Council passage, saying the community should come first. (48:40)
- Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (alderperson): Asked why the Cluster J development proposed four-unit buildings when others proposed three, and said she would like to see more density in the area. (1:02:39); Said she supports the Blocks Together project and asked whether the organization already has organizing and storage space next to the lot. (1:23:47); Described Blocks Together as locally driven and a model for third spaces across Chicago at a time of federal cuts to nonprofits. (1:27:10)
- Maria E. Hadden (alderperson): Asked to confirm that the four-unit Cluster J buildings are still three stories tall. (1:03:49); Asked whether the blueprint will include suggested price tags and policy or budgetary recommendations for City Council. (2:42:04); Asked the panel whether anything in the report surprised them. (2:47:01)
- Ronnie L. Mosley (alderperson): Thanked colleagues for supporting the Missing Middle initiative and said the projects help reactivate vacant lots in Morgan Park while balancing density in a mostly single-family area. (1:07:37)
- Jeanette B. Taylor (alderperson): Described the Till family's history on the block and asked for the committee's support of the Blacks in Green land sale, noting the organization is based in Woodlawn. (1:11:37); Asked that members receive the presentation and that briefings be held on the blueprint's proposals. (3:04:20)
- Angela Clay (alderperson): Invited Blocks Together to explain what acquiring the space would mean for the organization and its programs. (1:18:28); Called the testimony an example of community power and said she supports the project. (1:23:11)
- Walter R. Burnett (alderperson): Said he supports the Blocks Together land sale, stressing the importance of green space and noting the group worked with the community. (1:28:11); Said he also supports the ComEd substation land sale as a way to provide power for the west side. (1:29:00)
- Jessica L. Fuentes (alderperson): Said she benefited as a young person from Blocks Together's programs and that young people on the west side of Humboldt Park deserve the outdoor space. (1:29:30)
- Gilbert Villegas (alderperson): Praised Blocks Together and asked whether the lot was priced at one dollar or 10 percent, suggesting council look at making such sales more affordable for community organizations. (1:31:37); Asked ComEd whether the substation's energy is already committed or will add new capacity to the grid. (1:39:14)
- Daniel La Spata (alderperson): Asked whether point-in-time count data shows changes in where people experience homelessness, such as fewer alley encampments and more people on the CTA. (2:50:06); Described current CTA and police engagement with unhoused residents on trains as ineffective and asked for West Town-specific data. (2:53:00); Asked why home ownership appears as the end goal of the housing continuum, noting it may not be attainable or appropriate for everyone. (2:53:44)
Exchanges between members
- 1:08:32 The chair thanked Alderman Ronnie L. Mosley after his remarks on the Missing Middle projects.
- 1:13:54 Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor thanked the chair after asking for support of the Blacks in Green land sale.
- 1:13:56 The chair thanked Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor for her leadership on the Till House Museum garden.
- 1:23:51 Alderperson Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth said she echoed everything Alderperson Angela Clay had said about Blocks Together.
- 1:29:26 The chair thanked Alderman Walter R. Burnett after his remarks.
- 1:31:34 The chair thanked Alderperson Jessica L. Fuentes after her remarks.
- 1:33:10 The chair thanked Alderman Walter R. Burnett for his leadership on the Blocks Together land sale.
- 1:45:05 The chair offered to work with Alderman Gilbert Villegas on utility cost questions outside the committee's purview.
- 2:56:36 The chair thanked Alderman Daniel La Spata after his questions.
- 2:57:39 Alderperson Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth referred to Alderperson Maria E. Hadden point about funding in asking her own question.
- 3:04:03 The chair thanked Alderperson Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth after her questions.
- 3:05:33 Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor thanked the chair after her request for briefings.