# Committee on Housing and Real Estate meeting, March 5, 2025

- When: Wed, Mar 5, 2025, 12:30 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/1062514012
- Transcript: [full text](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/transcripts/1062514012.txt) (8,184 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, presided over by Vice Chair Gregory I. Mitchell and later by Chair Gilbert Villegas, approved its Rule 45 reports and recommended passage of all eight items on its agenda. These included an amendment to the Heritage Pointe redevelopment agreement adding nine lots on West Walnut Street in the 28th Ward for affordable single-family homes, an affordability designation for a rental development at 1310 South Ashland Avenue, and a substitute ordinance selling nine city lots on West Lake Street to Firebird Community Arts for a $9 price to build a community arts center. The committee also approved city land sales at 7524 South Emerald Avenue, 2929 West Washington Boulevard and 629 North Parkside Avenue, a ten-year lease renewal for the Garfield Ridge library branch at 6348 South Archer Avenue, and a one-year lease renewal for the nonprofit Sit Stay Read at 2861 North Clark Street. Alderperson Jason C. Ervin, a non-member, spoke in support of the 28th Ward items, describing a developing workforce corridor along Lake Street; two public commenters spoke.

Topics: affordable homeownership, city land sales, Firebird Community Arts, East Garfield Park, lease renewals, affordable rental housing, public comment

### Agenda items discussed

- [21:30](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=1290) Approval of Rule 45 reports and a correction to the January 7, 2025 report: passed
- [22:07](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=1327) First amendment to Heritage Pointe redevelopment agreement for sale of additional lots on West Walnut Street (City Lots for Working Families) (O2025-0014974): passed
- [28:43](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=1723) Designation of 1310 South Ashland Avenue as a low-affordability community (O2025-0015412): passed
- [31:13](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=1873) Substitute ordinance: sale of city-owned property on West Lake Street to Firebird Community Arts for a community arts center: passed
- [56:11](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=3371) Sale of vacant city-owned property at 7524 South Emerald Avenue to Academic Adventure Academy (O2025-0015545): passed
- [58:19](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=3499) Sale of city-owned property at 2929 West Washington Boulevard for market-rate housing (O2025-0015546): passed
- [1:02:00](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=3720) Sale of city-owned property at 629 North Parkside Avenue for a community garden (O2025-0015548): passed
- [1:05:25](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=3925) Lease renewal for the Garfield Ridge library branch at 6348 South Archer Avenue (O2025-0015537): passed
- [1:08:20](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=4100) Lease renewal with Sit Stay Read for city property at 2861 North Clark Street: passed

### Alderpersons who spoke

- [Gregory I. Mitchell](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/7) (chair): Asked the development team what the build cost was compared with the sale price of the Walnut Street homes. ([26:46](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=1606))
- [Jason C. Ervin](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/28) (alderperson): Described the history of the 3200 and 3300 blocks of Walnut Street and credited community-based developers with new homes that he said keep families in East Garfield Park amid gentrification. ([24:54](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=1494)); Said the 1310 South Ashland development has 70-plus rental units with 20 percent affordable, adding housing for Illinois Medical District workers. ([29:05](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=1745)); Described a workforce development corridor forming along Lake Street with Firebird, Revolution Workshop, the Hatchery and Inspiration Kitchens, and asked for favorable consideration. ([54:13](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=3253))
- [Maria E. Hadden](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/49) (alderperson): Asked the estimated groundbreaking time frame for the Firebird arts center. ([40:14](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=2414))
- [Emma Mitts](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/37) (alderperson): Asked whether the Firebird project would seek LEED certification and what its funding sources are. ([40:57](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=2457)); Asked for an explanation of the floor plan and how the community could use the space. ([46:33](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=2793)); Called it a great project that brings art space to vacant land near the L station and commended the team and her colleague. ([51:21](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=3081))
- [Daniel La Spata](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/1) (alderperson): Praised the Firebird design and purpose and noted a corridor of youth-focused organizations developing nearby. ([52:07](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=3127)); Asked whether the precast concrete panels are flat or textured. ([53:10](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=3190))

### Exchanges between members

- [28:01](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=1681) The presiding vice chair called the Walnut Street project a great project and told Alderperson Jason C. Ervin good job.
- [41:03](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=2463) Alderperson Emma Mitts addressed Alderperson Jason C. Ervin while asking about LEED certification for the Firebird project.
- [51:56](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=3116) Alderperson Emma Mitts commended her colleague and the team for the presentation.
- [52:07](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=3127) Alderperson Daniel La Spata echoed the preceding praise for the Firebird project.

## Documents

- [Agenda](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/5632a186-0bcb-41d4-9ea6-edb398a12454.pdf)
- [Summary](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/2a101c4c-1d74-4aad-9dec-599a00022047.pdf)
- [Summary](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/fdf03aed-2cc5-4678-9ea9-a4251c74e56d.pdf)
- [Notice](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/3cbd7588-aaf6-4138-940d-e11d0c8d5c08.pdf)

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Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8A4F73D9-FFEE-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00 · Chicago Politics, an independent, nonpartisan tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt