Chicago developers remain pessimistic about post-Trump affordable housing policies

Chicago currently has a rental affordability gap of approximately 116,000 units

By Yilun Cheng Medill Reports President-elect Joe Biden has outlined his plans to advance affordable housing nationwide, but with little progress in the past two decades and rising construction costs, Chicago developers remain pessimistic about his proposed affordable housing initiatives. Biden has made an ambitious proposal to invest $640 billion into affordable and quality housing […]

For Englewood seniors, the struggle is real but so are the friendships

Moody

by Rebekah Frumkin and Carlos D. Williamson For Roger Shannon, finding an affordable place to live was never a problem. His job as a social worker allowed him to live modestly but comfortably. When he first moved into senior citizen community housing 12 years ago, he continued to work, and paid for rent and food […]

Housing Advocates Pressure the CHA to “Keep Its Promise”

Pic of Alderman

By Alexis Myers and Shen Wu Tan Advocates for affordable housing recently campaigned for the passage of a housing ordinance that aims to reduce homelessness and protect the city’s remaining subsidized housing stock at a City Hall public hearing Feb. 17. The ordinance called “Keeping the Promise” would increase the distribution of housing vouchers, increase […]

Little Village residents welcome diversity, fear rising rents

Little Village

By Harry Huggins Residents of Chicago’s largely Hispanic Little Village neighborhood are excited to greet their increasingly diverse neighbors, but the area’s popularity comes at the expense of long-time tenants who grew up in a community with more affordable housing. Jesus Zamudio was born and raised in Little Village, which is just west of Pilsen […]

Commission approves Uptown high-rise project despite TIF tug of war

TIF press conference

By Thomas Vogel The city’s Community Development Commission approved Tuesday a development plan for a long-vacant property at Montrose and Clarendon avenues in Uptown, despite opposition from a coalition of neighborhood groups and dozens of residents. The objections come at a time of heightened scrutiny at City Hall, where Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration has received […]