Committee on Budget and Government Operations meeting, October 3, 2023
- When: Tue, Oct 3, 2023, 12:00 PM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Budget and Government Operations
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8925576/video/870438599
- Transcript: full text (9,634 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 Budget and Government Operations had no public commenters and recommended passage of an amendment to a 2019 Neighborhood Opportunity Fund grant and redevelopment agreement for the Ogden Commons project in North Lawndale, which extends completion deadlines and slightly reduces the grant. The committee approved its Rule 45 report and, after accepting a substitute, recommended passage of a 2023 appropriation ordinance amendment covering 14 grants totaling about $77 million for the Departments of Housing, Public Health, Family and Support Services, Police and BACP, including reallocated emergency rental assistance funds and a $50 million federal grant for 2024 Democratic National Convention security. Members asked about emergency rental assistance, the DNC grant, unspent COVID vaccine outreach funds, and the share of HIV grantees led by Black organizations. The chair also discussed the schedule and start time for upcoming budget hearings.
Topics: Neighborhood Opportunity Fund, Ogden Commons, grant appropriations, emergency rental assistance, DNC security funding, HIV prevention grants, budget hearing schedule
Agenda items discussed
- 23:29 Amendment of 2019 Neighborhood Opportunity Fund grant and redevelopment agreement with Ogden Washtenaw JV LLC for Ogden Commons (28th Ward): passed
- 32:26 Rule 45 report: passed
- 32:55 Amendment to the Annual Appropriation Ordinance Year 2023 for grant funds (substitute): passed
- 46:15 Tentative schedule for 2024 budget hearings: discussed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Jason C. Ervin (chair): Outlined a tentative budget hearing schedule, including a possible joint hearing of the Inspector General, COPA and the Police Board. (46:15); Said hearings will start at 10 a.m. because members traveling from farther parts of the city requested it. (48:36); Said 42 members completed the budget survey and the results and department questions will be shared with members and departments. (51:37)
- Michael D. Rodriguez (alderperson): Called Ogden Commons an excellent, much-needed project and said he supports it fully, welcoming a South Lawndale restaurant opening there. (31:02)
- Pat Dowell (alderperson): Asked whether prior emergency rental assistance recipients can reapply, for a map of assistance by community area, and about renewing the program database contract. (1:06:17); Asked when the Build Illinois bond fund RFP will be released and whether first-time developers can apply. (1:08:50); Asked about body art inspection complaints and closures, language line contracts, and tick surveillance locations. (1:09:53)
- Daniel La Spata (alderperson): Asked for details on the state-funded program to rehabilitate vacant homes and whether it could support preservation in areas with strong market pressure. (1:19:31); Asked why about 60% of BACP's COVID vaccine outreach funds went unused and how the returned $3.2 million will be spent. (1:23:43); Said it was frustrating to learn after the fact that the outreach dollars were not spent and asked how many businesses were reached. (1:25:51)
- Lamont J. Robinson (alderperson): Asked why only two or three of 25 HIV program grantees appear to be Black-led organizations given high HIV rates in that community. (1:28:00); Asked how the department builds capacity of Black-led organizations, how much funding is set aside, and requested a breakdown of grant amounts by organization. (1:29:53)
Exchanges between members
- 1:19:31 La Spata followed up on the housing grant that he noted Dowell had started asking about.