NEIGHBORS ON CHICAGO'S NORTHWEST SIDE ARE PUSHING FOR A NEW ORDINANCE THAT AIMS TO PRESERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PREVENT DISPLACEMENT OF LONGTIME RESIDENTS.

THE PROPOSAL WOULD EXPAND A PILOT PROGRAM AROUND THE AREA OF THE 606 TRAIL THAT ADVOCATES SAY HAS SUCCESSFULLY HELPED STABILIZE THE AREA AFTER BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE RAPID GENTRIFICATION.

THE ORDINANCE WOULD TARGET AREAS OF LOGAN SQUARE AVONDALE AT MOST IN HUMBLE PARK, ALL COMMUNITIES WITH LARGE LATINO POPULATIONS THAT HAVE SEEN SIGNIFICANT DISPLACEMENT IN RECENT YEARS.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE ARE JULIE, A BECAUSE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LESS THAN A PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS A LOGAN SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.

WE'LL BEAT.

THAT'S THE WAY THEY GOT.

WHO HAS BEEN WHO HAS LIVED IN LOGAN SQUARE HER ENTIRE LIFE WITH HER PARENTS AND BROTHER.

ENJOY IT.

I GOT SEE ALL OF BIGGER.

BAKER DIED GROUP REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, A NONPROFIT DEVELOPER OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ALDERMEN GOGGLES OR MEDIEVAL, SIR, OF THE 35TH WARD, WHO IS ONE OF THE LEAD SPONSORS OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.

THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.

JULIA, I WANT TO START WITH YOU.

YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN SUPPORTING THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE.

NOW, BEFORE WE GO INTO ALL THE DETAILS, TELL US WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THAT AREA FOR THESE YEAH, I THINK ULTIMATELY WE'RE SAYING IS THAT CHICAGO IS FOR EVERYONE.

EVERYONE COOL LIVES HERE WORKS HERE.

STUDIES HERE AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT IT'S BECOME HARDER AND HARDER FOR WORKING CLASS AND POOR FAMILIES TO REMAIN IN THE CITY PERIOD AND PARTICULARLY IN THESE COMMUNITIES OF LOGAN SQUARE, AVONDALE, HUMBLE PARK AND MOST I'M THEY HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF RENT INCREASES AND DISPLACEMENT.

WE JUST IN LOGAN SQUARE LAWN AND ONE OF THE COMMUNITY, 20,000 LATINOS FORCED TO LEAVE RIGHT IN SEARCH FOR MORE AFFORDABLE RENTALS AND AND AND PROPERTY GOING WE'RE SEEING, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WEST, RIGHT WEST SIDE OF THE CITY.

WE'RE SEEING SUBURBS, SOMETIMES EVEN THE STATE ENTIRE AND WE BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO THE CITY AND THAT WE NEED TO CREATE AVENUES AND PROTECTIONS.

I'M FOR FAMILIES TO STAY AND CONTINUE TO GROW AND PASS A DOWNRIGHT THAT GENERATIONAL WEALTH.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THAT THE NOSE AND BLACK FAMILIES HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND WE'RE JUST SAYING, LIKE WE WANT TO THRIVE AS WELL.

AND ALL MONOGAMY IS ALSO ONE OF THE LEAD SPONSORS OF THE ORDINANCE.

TALK US THROUGH THE MECHANICS OF WHAT IT WOULD DO.

YES.

SO THIS ORDINANCE, THE NORTHWEST SIDE HOUSING PRESERVATION ORDINANCE BUILDS.

I'M POLICIES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN SUCCESSFULLY PILOTED THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

AS YOU NOTED, LAST TERM, WE SUCCESSFULLY PASSED 2 ORDINANCES TO PROTECT 2 TO 4 FLAT APARTMENT BUILDINGS AROUND THE 606 TRAIL.

SO THE 606 SHOWS AN AMAZING AMENITY.

WE LOVE THAT THE COMMUNITY FOUGHT FOR IT.

BUT WHAT WE SAW IS THAT ONCE THAT WAS BILL PEOPLE STARTED PURCHASING THE 2, 3, 4, 5, APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND TURNING THEM INTO LUXURY.

SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES ARE TURNING TO INTO MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE CUSTOMERS AND THE COMMUNITY COULDN'T AFFORD PUT ENOUGH OR THEY WERE BEING DISPLACED.

WE SAW A DECREASE IN ENROLLMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS.

OUR BUSINESSES STRUGGLE BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE CUSTOMER BASE NECESSARY.

AND SO WE REALLY WANTED TO TAKE STEPS TO PROTECT THOSE 2 TO 4 UNIT APARTMENT BUILDINGS, WHAT ARE OFTEN CALLED NATURALLY OCCURRING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAUSE THEY DON'T RECEIVE GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES ARE STILL AFFORDABLE TO WORKING MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES ARE WHAT'S SOMETIMES CALLED MIDDLE HOUSING.

RIGHT?

BECAUSE IT'S NOT A SINGLE FAMILY HOME.

IT'S NOT A BIG SKYSCRAPER.

IT'S RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE SERVING MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES.

SO WE WANT TO PROTECT THOSE BUILDINGS.

ONE FROM DEMOLITION.

SO WE PASSED THE SURCHARGE THAT SAID THAT IF YOU WANT TO DEMOLISH BUILDINGS NEAR THE 606, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY A BIGGER FEAT TO DISSUADE YOU FROM DEMOLISHING BUILDING.

AND THE 2 WE PASSED AN ORDINANCE THAT SAID THAT IF THE BLOC IS MAJORITY TO FLATS FLATS AND UP, YOU CANNOT BUILD A SINGLE FAMILY HOME ON THAT BLOCK.

YOU CAN BUILD A SINGLE FAMILY.

HOME OF THE BUCS ARE READY, MAJORITY SINGLE-FAMILY HOME.

BUT IF IT'S 2 OR 3 FLEX, MORE YOU HAVE TO BUILD MULTIFAMILY HOUSING IN THAT BLOCK BECAUSE WAS SUCCESSFUL.

SO NOW THE EXACT YOU'RE TRYING TO.

PRECISELY SO GOES TO VOTERS WERE SUCCESSFUL IN WOODLAWN ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

THEY ALSO PASSED THE TENANT OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE A PILOT WHICH ALLOWS TENANTS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUY THE BUILDING IF IT GOES TO SAIL.

AND SO PACKAGING THAT ALL TOGETHER.

WE'RE EXPANDING THE BOUNDARIES AND WE'RE SEEING THESE ARE POLICIES THAT WE KNOW HELP PROTECT THOSE.

2 TO 3 FLATS WAS FOR PROTECT LONGTIME RESIDENTS AND HELP KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES.

AND JULIET IN TERMS OF MONEY THAT WOULD BE RAISED THROUGH THE DEMOLITION SUB CHARGE.

HOW WOULD THAT MONEY BE USED?

WELL, WHAT WE'RE SEEING ARE A OF LIKE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT IN AFFORDABLE OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY INCLUDE COMMUNITY THAT COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.

WE HAVE A A VERY SUCCESSFUL ON LAND TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY CALLED THE HERE TO STAY LAND TRUST WHERE HOPEFULLY CLOSING 3 MORE PROPERTIES THIS WEEK.

THAT WILL BRING US UP TO 18 UNITS IN IN IN OUR YOU KNOW, A IN PART OF THE CITY WHERE HOMES ARE GOING FOR OVER $900,000 WERE ABLE TO GET FAMILIES IN FOR ABOUT $250,000.

THAT'S JUST ONE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY.

BUT OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, PARTNERS, A BIGGER DEIAH GRAY WERE OR DEVELOPING AFFORDABLE RENTALS BECAUSE WE NEED ALL KINDS OF HOUSING, RIGHT?

FOR ALL KINDS OF SITUATIONS.

SO THAT WE SEE AN ARRAY OF DIFFERENT USES FOR THAT FOR THOSE FEES THAT WOULD GO RIGHT BACK GET AND LOOK THE UFC GROUP IN LOGAN SQUARE.

YOUR FAMILY HAS BEEN THERE FOR YEARS.

CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE BEEN LIKE FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY YOU'VE BEEN NOTICING GENTRIFICATION YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?

YES, SO WHEN I WAS A VERY YOUNG, I WOULD WALK BACK TO MY HOME AND, YOU KNOW, I WOULD ALWAYS SEE THE PILOT BATTLES A LOOK A STREET VENDORS AND NOW I WALK DOWN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND NOW I JUST SEE THOSE BLAKELY, BIG LUXURIOUS OF CONDOS.

THOSE BIG SAW A SINGLE HOME SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES AND QUITE UGLY.

AND I MISS SEEING THOSE THOSE BIG HOUSES WITH DOLLARS SIGNS THAT SAY, WELL, COME WITH THOSE BEAUTIFUL, BRIGHT COLORS.

MY PARENTS ACTUALLY THOUGHT SELLING OUR HOME MAYBE LIKE 3 YEARS AGO, JUST BECAUSE IT PROPERTY TAXES WHICH JUST INCREASING EXPONENTIALLY.

AND I GUESS IT HAS TO FEEL DISCOURAGING FOR YOUR FAMILY.

YES, IT'S I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS MY PARENTS ARE MEXICAN, RIGHT?

THEY GREW UP WITH THE IDEA THAT A GOOD PAIRING IS ONE THAT ALWAYS PROVIDES FOR CHILD FINANCIALLY.

SO AT TIMES I DO GET THE SENSE THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'VE THEY FEEL THAT PARENTS, BUT THEY HAVEN'T.

AND I'VE I'VE PERSUADED THEM TO STAY THE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I DON'T WANT TO MOVE OUTSIDE OF LOGAN SQUARE AND I DON'T PLAN ON DOING SO.

IT'S REALLY TOUCHING.

ENJOY YOUR ORGANIZATION.

AS WE MENTIONED, IS A NONPROFIT FOCUSED ON CREATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WILL THE ORDINANCE HAVE ANY IMPACT ON ABILITY FOR NONPROFIT DEVELOPERS LIKE YOURSELF TO DEVELOP AFFORDABLE HOUSING?

I THINK FIRST OF ALL, WE NEED A LOT OF TOOLS TO DEVELOP AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

AND I THINK THAT THIS PROVIDES RESOURCES TO DO SO WHETHER OR NOT IT GENERALLY IT WHETHER OR NOT A SPECIFICALLY GENERATES FUNDS TO FUND THE PROJECTS THAT WE WORK ON.

IT WILL FUND OTHER PROJECTS THAT PROVIDE BADLY NEEDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR RESIDENTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND JULIET, MY QUESTION IS HERE.

HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND TO THOSE FOLKS, INCLUDING SOME OF THE FOR-PROFIT DEVELOPERS WHO SAY THAT NEIGHBORHOODS, HAVE ALWAYS CHANGED OVER TIME AND THAT THIS IS JUST THE WAY THE REAL ESTATE MARKET TOO.

THAN CHICAGO.

I'M YOU KNOW, REALTORS, DEVELOPERS, BANKERS INVENTED REDLINING AFFECTED RACIAL LIES, SEGREGATION, DRY, AND AND AND THANK YOU PRACTICES THAT FRANKLY WHERE RACE IS RIGHT IN AND KEPT GENERATIONAL WEALTH FROM FAMILIES OF COLOR, RIGHT FOR GENERATIONS.

AND WE SEE THE EFFECTS STILL LIKE WE COULD STILL THE COMMUNITIES.

THEY WERE REDLINED WRITE 100 YEARS AGO ARES STILL PRETTY THE RIGHT.

AND SO TO SAY, LIKE, OH, THIS IS JUST HOW IT'S ALWAYS BEEN.

WELL, HOUSE ALWAYS BEEN IT'S BEEN IT'S STACKED AGAINST WORKING CLASS PEOPLE, RIGHT?

AND SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE NEED TO ALLOW EVERYONE TO THRIVE BY THAT.

I THAT'S WE'RE IN 2024.

I THINK IT'S TIME TO THAT GOAL OF BARRIERS WAS TOO.

YES, THAT'S RIGHT.

SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY TO ENJOY.

WHAT WOULD YOUR THAT WOULD YOU SAY THIS ORDINANCE WILL HOLD DEVELOPERS ACCOUNTABLE I THINK IT WILL HOLD DEVELOPERS ACCOUNTABLE AND REALLY PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO FEED BACK TO GET BACK TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY'RE DEVELOPING IN AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES WHEN DEVELOPERS COME IN, THEY'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE AND THE THINKING ABOUT THE PROFIT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE OFF OF THIS IS A WAY TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THERE THINKING ABOUT PEOPLE AND THINKING ABOUT THE AFFORDABILITY IN PEOPLE'S ABILITIES AND THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE REGARDLESS THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE MONEY.

OH, AND PEOPLE OFTEN ASK ME, DO YOU THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO SLOW DEVELOPMENT ANYTIME IT DOESN'T?

NEW POLICY?

AND I SAY IT HASN'T WOULD YOU SAY THAT THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS ITS COST DOING BUSINESS?

SURE.

ABSOLUTELY.

IF YOU WANT TO DEVELOP IN A PARTICULAR NEVER DO OUR AND I ALSO JUST WANT ADD ONE 20TH, A SAID.

IF YOU'RE IN A COMMUNITY, IF YOU'RE DEVELOPING A COMMUNITY AND YOU I'M FIRED.

LET'S RETURN TO FOG.

OH, MY GOODNESS.

WELL, YOU AT IF YOU DON'T PAY SURCHARGE, DON'T DEMOLISH THE YES.

IF YOU DON'T DEMOLISH THE BUILDING, THAT MEANS THAT THAT UNIT IS GOING TO BE MORE AFFORDABLE.

AND THAT MEANS THAT THAT LONGTIME TENANT HAS A BETTER SHOT AT AND REALLY HAVE REHABBING EXISTING BUILDINGS.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND REHABBING ALWAYS LEADS TO MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS.

NEW CONSTRUCTION IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION LEADS TO THOSE BIG TICKET SALES MILLION DOLLAR HOUSES.

PLUS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ENOUGH MILLION DOLLAR HOUSES IN CHICAGO.

THOSE RAISE PROPERTY TAXES FOR NEIGHBORS.

SO REALLY, THIS IS A TOOL TO HELP PROTECT THE EXISTING RESIDENTS, EXISTING LONGTIME HOMEOWNERS, EXISTING TENANTS.

BUT IF YOU WANT TO PAY THE SURCHARGE, YOUR DEVELOPER JUST DON'T KNOCK THE BUILDING, NOT THE BUILDING.

AND THEN LAST QUESTION REALLY OF TIME FOR ONE THAT'S GETTING ALL THE MUGGLES.

LOOKING AHEAD.

HOW SOON MIGHT THIS BE INTRODUCED FOR A VOTE AT THE CITY COUNCIL?

WE ARE WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY AROUND THE CLOCK TO PUT FINISHING TOUCHES ON THE ORDINANCE.

WE HOPE TO INTRODUCE IT ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 17TH, YOU KNOW, THE PROVISIONS THAT WE PASSED LAST TERM SUNSET AT THE END OF DECEMBER.

AND SO WE ARE ON THE CLOCK TO MAKE SURE WE GET THESE PROVISIONS IN PLACE AND