Committee on Housing and Real Estate meeting, September 24, 2025

When: Wed, Sep 24, 2025, 11:00 AM (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=1121305160
Transcript: full text (26,060 words, automatic captions)

Video chapters

41:14 Agenda item 6 held at the request of the sponsor
41:25 Sale of city lots to Citizens Building a Better Community under City Lots for Working Families for two-flat…
1:33:00 Jeanette B. Taylor: Asked about the market and affordable pricing figures for the Bronzeville two-flat homes…
1:35:43 Sale of renovated former Diplomat Motel at 5230 N. Lincoln Ave. to Cornerstone Community Outreach as the…
1:40:31 Jeanette B. Taylor: Asked what the city paid for the Lincoln Avenue motel, whether it would be shelter…
1:42:21 Maria E. Hadden: Supported the shelter sale, describing a similar non-congregate men's shelter opened in her…
1:49:05 Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth: Voiced support for the shelter, citing encampments along the lakefront and SROs…
1:52:36 Municipal Code amendment to dissolve the Chicago Community Land Trust (Chicago Housing Trust) and form it as…
2:01:07 Maria E. Hadden: Asked for the Land Trust item to be held and requested a detailed written report on its…
2:05:17 Maria E. Hadden: Described a constituent who wanted to transfer a 12-unit building to remain affordable but…
2:19:38 Jessica L. Fuentes: Supported holding the Land Trust item, said her ward relies on the trust for affordable…
2:20:42 Jessica L. Fuentes: Asked whether the city would still accept voluntary units into the trust and which…
2:26:40 Jeanette B. Taylor: Criticized the department for proposing to dissolve the Land Trust without conversations…
2:28:02 David H. Moore: Said the Land Trust item appeared on the agenda as a 40th Ward matter rather than a citywide…
2:29:01 Byron Sigcho-López: Clarified that the 40th Ward label next to the Land Trust item on the agenda was a…
2:30:13 Byron Sigcho-López: Held the Land Trust item and committed the committee to briefings and a possible subject…
2:31:11 Substitute ordinance: sale of city-owned property at 3901 S. Halsted St. to IDOT for the Pershing Road…
2:37:42 Sale of city-owned property at 5056 W. Washington Blvd. to the Catholic Bishop of Chicago for a parking lot…
2:42:45 Sale of vacant city-owned property at 6710 S. Rhodes Ave. to Urban Market Exchange with open space use…
2:47:05 David H. Moore: Praised the 6710 S. Rhodes purchaser as a community member who brought resources to her…
2:48:32 First amendment to redevelopment agreement with Center Court Development LLC for housing on South Dearborn…
2:54:02 David H. Moore: Spoke in support of the Center Court Development project as development on the south side.
3:12:39 Designation of 6756 and 6758 S. Chappel Ave. as low affordability community (5th Ward)
3:14:12 Substitute ordinance establishing the South Shore Housing Opportunity Ordinance / Jackson Park Housing Pilot…
3:15:32 Emma Mitts: Asked for clarification on why a new substitute was being accepted on top of a prior substitute…
3:31:39 Lamont J. Robinson: Recognized a coalition presenter he had mentored and praised Alderman Desmon C. Yancy…
3:49:33 William E. Hall: Thanked Alderman Desmon C. Yancy and said the pilot would help address abandoned buildings…
3:50:56 Desmon C. Yancy: Presented the Jackson Park Housing Pilot as building on the Woodlawn Housing Preservation…
3:53:04 Byron Sigcho-López: Thanked members for the Jackson Park Housing Pilot and said the city is acting on the…

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 ten public speakers, most addressing the Jackson Park Housing Pilot (South Shore Housing Opportunity) ordinance, with some urging passage and others asking for a delay or changes for commercial corridors. The committee approved city land sales and agreements for homes in Bronzeville, the Haven on Lincoln non-congregate shelter, a parcel at 3901 South Halsted for an IDOT project, a parking lot at 5056 West Washington, a lot at 6710 South Rhodes, and an amended redevelopment agreement for Center Court Development in the 20th Ward. Members questioned an ordinance to dissolve the Chicago Community Land Trust as a separate nonprofit and fold it into the Department of Housing, and that item was held pending briefings; another agenda item (item 6) was also held. The committee then passed a low-affordability community designation in the 5th Ward and the substitute Jackson Park Housing Pilot ordinance, which includes reserved city lots, a right-to-return leasing preference, a tenant opportunity to purchase, property tax debt relief and expanded notice requirements.

Topics: Jackson Park Housing Pilot, affordable housing, displacement, Chicago Community Land Trust, non-congregate shelter, city land sales, City Lots for Working Families, tenant protections, Obama Presidential Center, property taxes

Agenda items discussed

40:52 Rule 45 report from July 9, 2025: passed
41:14 Agenda item 6 held at the request of the sponsor: held
41:25 Sale of city lots to Citizens Building a Better Community under City Lots for Working Families for two-flat homes in the 3rd and 4th Wards: passed
1:35:43 Sale of renovated former Diplomat Motel at 5230 N. Lincoln Ave. to Cornerstone Community Outreach as the Haven on Lincoln non-congregate shelter (40th Ward): passed
1:52:36 Municipal Code amendment to dissolve the Chicago Community Land Trust (Chicago Housing Trust) and form it as a bureau within the Department of Housing: held
2:31:11 Substitute ordinance: sale of city-owned property at 3901 S. Halsted St. to IDOT for the Pershing Road improvement project (11th Ward): passed
2:37:42 Sale of city-owned property at 5056 W. Washington Blvd. to the Catholic Bishop of Chicago for a parking lot (28th Ward): passed
2:42:45 Sale of vacant city-owned property at 6710 S. Rhodes Ave. to Urban Market Exchange with open space use restriction (6th Ward): passed
2:48:32 First amendment to redevelopment agreement with Center Court Development LLC for housing on South Dearborn and Federal streets (20th Ward): passed
3:12:39 Designation of 6756 and 6758 S. Chappel Ave. as low affordability community (5th Ward): passed
3:14:12 Substitute ordinance establishing the South Shore Housing Opportunity Ordinance / Jackson Park Housing Pilot and Office of the Tenant Advocate pilot program (5th Ward): passed

Alderpersons who spoke

Byron Sigcho-López (chair): Clarified that the 40th Ward label next to the Land Trust item on the agenda was a spacing error carried over from the previous item. (2:29:01); Held the Land Trust item and committed the committee to briefings and a possible subject matter hearing before reconsidering it. (2:30:13); Thanked members for the Jackson Park Housing Pilot and said the city is acting on the south side as it has on the northwest side as rents and property taxes rise. (3:53:04)
Jeanette B. Taylor (alderperson): Asked about the market and affordable pricing figures for the Bronzeville two-flat homes and whether rents were based on the ward or zip code. (1:33:00); Asked what the city paid for the Lincoln Avenue motel, whether it would be shelter rather than permanent housing, and how many shelters are in the area. (1:40:31); Criticized the department for proposing to dissolve the Land Trust without conversations with affected residents and said the explanations given were inconsistent. (2:26:40)
Maria E. Hadden (alderperson): Supported the shelter sale, describing a similar non-congregate men's shelter opened in her ward and the need for north side shelter capacity. (1:42:21); Asked for the Land Trust item to be held and requested a detailed written report on its creation, mission, funding, and why it is being dissolved. (2:01:07); Described a constituent who wanted to transfer a 12-unit building to remain affordable but was told the city had no program for it, and moved to hold the item. (2:05:17)
Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (alderperson): Voiced support for the shelter, citing encampments along the lakefront and SROs under receivership in her area and the need for housing with supportive services. (1:49:05)
Jessica L. Fuentes (alderperson): Supported holding the Land Trust item, said her ward relies on the trust for affordable homeownership, and raised concern the program could face budget cuts under the city. (2:19:38); Asked whether the city would still accept voluntary units into the trust and which department asked for the dissolution. (2:20:42)
David H. Moore (alderperson): Said the Land Trust item appeared on the agenda as a 40th Ward matter rather than a citywide one and called for briefings or a hearing before it moves forward, supporting a hold. (2:28:02); Praised the 6710 S. Rhodes purchaser as a community member who brought resources to her project and moved to pass the item. (2:47:05); Spoke in support of the Center Court Development project as development on the south side. (2:54:02)
Emma Mitts (alderperson): Asked for clarification on why a new substitute was being accepted on top of a prior substitute for the Jackson Park ordinance. (3:15:32)
Lamont J. Robinson (alderperson): Recognized a coalition presenter he had mentored and praised Alderman Desmon C. Yancy work on the pilot as necessary to stabilize South Shore. (3:31:39)
William E. Hall (alderperson): Thanked Alderman Desmon C. Yancy and said the pilot would help address abandoned buildings and city-owned property in the 6th Ward. (3:49:33)
Desmon C. Yancy (alderperson): Presented the Jackson Park Housing Pilot as building on the Woodlawn Housing Preservation Ordinance to help residents near the Obama Presidential Center stay in their homes, and thanked partners and colleagues. (3:50:56)

Exchanges between members

2:27:53 Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor endorsed Alderperson Maria E. Hadden call to hold the Land Trust item.
2:28:02 Alderperson David H. Moore told the chair the Land Trust item was listed on the agenda in a misleading way.
2:29:01 The chair responded to Alderperson David H. Moore that the ward label was a spacing error from the previous item.
2:55:10 Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor credited Alderperson Pat Dowell for originating the Center Court project.
3:15:32 Alderperson Emma Mitts asked the chair to clarify the second substitute ordinance.
3:34:13 Alderperson Lamont J. Robinson commended Alderperson Desmon C. Yancy for his work on the pilot ordinance.
3:46:59 Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor thanked Alderperson Desmon C. Yancy and acknowledged the difficulty of balancing competing views.
3:49:49 Alderperson William E. Hall thanked Alderperson Desmon C. Yancy for his leadership on the pilot.
3:51:07 Alderperson Desmon C. Yancy credited Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor Woodlawn Housing Preservation Ordinance and thanked her for working alongside him.
3:52:27 Alderperson Desmon C. Yancy acknowledged Alderperson Michelle A. Harris leadership and support on the ordinance.

Documents

Sources and methods: how we get and count this data · report an error