Affordable Housing Task Force

LAC’s housing work revolves around preserving the affordable units that we have in Lakeview and creating more affordable units when there is the opportunity to do so.  Our focus lies in the following areas:

Preservation of Section 8 buildings: 

 LAC organizes tenants in Section 8 buildings that are at risk of converting to market rate so that the tenants can, together, preserve their housing as affordable.  LAC is currently organizing the Belmont Tower Tenant Association to preserve 152 Section 8 units and 125 Below Market Interest Rate (BMIR) units, for which there are currently no preservation tools.  At Lincoln Park Plaza, we are working with the Jane Addams Senior Caucus to organize tenants to convince their owner to renew the Section 8 contract when it expires for the third time in 2011.

Chicago Housing Initiative (CHI):

LAC participates in a coalition of organizations that work with Section 8 tenants to preserve and improve their housing.  Working city-wide allows us to support each other as Section 8 tenants and Section 8 tenant organizers in a way that isn’t possible on the local level alone.  We recently conducted a survey among 600 tenants in Chicago, and will continue to use the results to lead the citywide work that we do.  We are also working with our Congressional Representatives to pass national Preservation Legislation that will help preserve Section 8 housing across the country.   

Implementation of the Affordable Requirements Ordinance: 

In 2007, LAC worked with the Balanced Development Coalition to pass the Affordable Requirements Ordinance, which requires many developers in the city to set aside 10% of their units for affordable housing.  LAC is working to make sure that this new law is followed, and looking for opportunities to gain even more affordable units.  More information on the Balanced Development Campaign here.

Illinois Capital Budget: 

LAC worked with United Power to convince State legislators to include money for affordable housing in the State Capital Budget.  This past summer, Governor Quinn signed a capital bill that included $144 million for building and rehabbing affordable housing. This is the largest appropriation of state funding for affordable housing in the state's history - and the very first time housing has been included in a capital bill in Illinois.  LAC leaders played an important role in this victory, and now we will be working to influence how this money gets spent.

Sweet Home Chicago Coalition:

LAC is an active member of the Sweet Home Chicago Campaign, which is a coalition of nine community organizations and three unions advocating for a portion of tax increment financing (TIF) funds to be dedicated for affordable housing.  The housing would be created for average residents of the city who pay their tax dollars into the TIFs and deserve the benefits.  TIF dollars are property tax dollars that the city uses to develop certain neighborhoods.  They can be used to build affordable housing.  As of 2008, there was nearly $1.3 billion built up in Chicago's TIF accounts.

 
Sweet Home Chicago Proposal:
Each year the city would dedicate 20% of TIF funds collected towards affordable housing.  If this had been in effect in 2008, $110 million would have gone towards housing.

Developments would qualify to receive funds if 50 percent of the units were affordable to households earning less than $37,000 for a family of four.  In addition, citywide, 40% of the total units created with the dedicated funds each year must serve households earning less than $22,600 a year for a family of four.

For housing that is for sale, units would have to be affordable to households of four earning less than $60,300.

Sweet Home Chicago Members:
Sweet Home Chicago is a coalition of 12 partners: Action NOW, Albany Park Neighborhood Council, Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Jane Addams Senior Caucus, Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, Lakeview Action Coalition, Logan Square Neighborhood Association, Organization of the North East, SEIU-Healthcare Illinois/Indiana, SEIU Local 1, and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 881.

Children’s Memorial Redevelopment Coalition:

Please refer to our page for more information.

Housing Task Force:

LAC leaders come together once a month to get updates on the various campaigns we work on and to make decisions around relevant issues we address.  Please contact Mary at 773-549-1947 x385 or mtarullo@lakeviewaction.org to learn more! 

(Last updated: 12/2009)

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