{"id":73359,"date":"2018-11-23T13:56:07","date_gmt":"2018-11-23T19:56:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago?p=73359&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=73359"},"modified":"2018-12-10T20:32:10","modified_gmt":"2018-12-11T02:32:10","slug":"rent-control-campaign-builds-momentum-in-rogers-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/rent-control-campaign-builds-momentum-in-rogers-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Rent control campaign builds momentum in Rogers Park"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>By Becky Dernbach<\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Medill Reports<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"dropcap\">Sandra imagined getting older as a peaceful time to retire and travel. She didn\u2019t expect to be fighting to stay in her Rogers Park apartment as the rising rent takes up more and more of her fixed income on Social Security every year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI didn\u2019t see my old age like this,\u201d said Sandra, 73. \u201cI\u2019m just amazed they can raise the rent any amount they want.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sandra pays more than half her income in rent, and says she has seen it increase exponentially every year. This year her landlord presented her with an increase of more than $100, which Sandra is fighting to reduce.<\/p>\n<p>On election day Nov. 6, the Jane Addams Senior Caucus and the Chicago Democratic Socialists of America made phone calls and talked to voters outside polling places in Rogers Park about lifting the state ban on rent control. The non-binding referendum &#8212; &#8220;Shall the State of Illinois lift the ban on rent control?\u201d &#8212; received over 66 percent of the vote in the 49th Ward, where Rogers Park is located. It was on the ballot in three wards in Chicago that also include Logan Square and Uptown.<\/p>\n<p><!--more-->With the referendum results in Rogers Park and other wards showing strong support for repealing the statewide ban,the movement for rent control in Chicago is gaining momentum. The coalition hopes to help pass a bill that would repeal the ban and establish rent control boards in every county in Illinois.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur lives shouldn\u2019t be driven by profit,\u201d said Heather McLaren, who helped coordinate referendum canvassing for the Chicago Northside DSA in the 49th Ward. \u201cWe shouldn\u2019t be forced to be driven out of our homes just because that\u2019s what the market tells us to do. We want to reframe housing as a human right, not as a market commodity.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wpmf-gallerys wpmf-gallerys-life\"><div id=\"gallery-1\" class=\"gallery gallery_life wpmf_gallery_default gallery_default none gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail gallery-link-post wpmf-has-border-radius-0 wpmf-gutterwidth-5 no_ratio\"><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"0\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-1-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Speaking to voters\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"0\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"Speaking to voters\" src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-1-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-1-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">Reggie Griffin, a volunteer with the Jane Addams Senior Caucus, asks a voter to support the rent control referendum outside a polling place Nov. 6. (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"1\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-2-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Reggie Griffin\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"Reggie Griffin\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-2-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-2-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">\u201cI\u2019m directly affected,\u201d says Reggie Griffin, 75, the chair of the board of the Jane Addams Senior Caucus. \u201cEvery time property taxes go up, landlords and property managers pass it on to me.\u201d (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"2\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-3-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Rent control flyers\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"2\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"Rent control flyers\" src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-3-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-3-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">Reggie Griffin holds flyers that urge people to vote &#8220;yes&#8221; on the advisory rent control referendum. (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"3\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-5-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"&quot;I voted yes&quot;\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"3\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"&quot;I voted yes&quot;\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-5-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-5-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">A voter emerges from the polling place and hands Reggie Griffin back his flyer. \u201cI voted yes,\u201d she says. \u201cI just wanted to save paper.\u201d (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"4\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-9-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Finding the polling place\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"4\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"Finding the polling place\" src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-9-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-9-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">&#8220;Is this the polling place? Oh it is?!&#8221; Reggie Griffin served as a guide for some voters who had trouble locating the entrance to the polling place. (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"5\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-11-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Sunset on Election Night\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"5\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"Sunset on Election Night\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-11-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-11-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">The sun sets outside a Rogers Park polling place on election night. (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"6\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-12-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Multilingual flyers\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"6\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"Multilingual flyers\" src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-12-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-12-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">Organizers to repeal the ban on rent control prepared flyers in multiple languages. (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"7\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-13-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Training volunteers\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"7\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"Training volunteers\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-13-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-13-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">Molly Kraus-Steinmetz, an organizer with Jane Addams Senior Caucus, prepares volunteers to talk to voters about the rent control referendum. \u201cThe polling place is the best possible place to talk to people,\u201d she says. (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"8\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-14-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Rent control 14\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"8\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"Rent control 14\" src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-14-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-14-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">Virginia Iungerich, 25, a member of the Chicago Northside Democratic Socialists of America, prepares her quarter-sheet flyers outside a polling place, the Rogers Park branch of the Chicago Public Library. (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"9\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-16-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"No electioneering beyond this point!\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"9\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"No electioneering beyond this point!\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-16-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-16-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">\u201cNo electioneering beyond this point!\u201d The Chicago Board of Elections Commission governs rules about where campaign volunteers can talk to voters. (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"10\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-17-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Comparing notes\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"10\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"Comparing notes\" src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-17-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-17-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">After a slow start, DSA volunteers Virginia Iungerich, 25, and Colin Hill, 27, compare notes on how many flyers they passed out. (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"11\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-18-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"On the way to vote\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"11\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"On the way to vote\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-18-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-18-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">DSA volunteer Virginia Iungerich, left, asks a voter to support the rent control referendum as she pays for parking outside the polling place. (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL REPORTS)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"12\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-20-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Making connections\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"12\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"Making connections\" src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-20-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-20-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">Anwuli Anigbo, 30, approaches DSA volunteers Virginia Iungerich and Colin Hill. Anigbo is volunteering with Maria Hadden\u2019s City Council campaign to unseat incumbent 49th Ward Ald. Joe Moore. She was collecting signatures to qualify Hadden for the February ballot. (Becky Dernbach \/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"13\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-21-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Campaigning for city council candidate\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"13\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"Campaigning for city council candidate\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-21-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-21-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">Anwuli Anigbo, 30, spent four or five hours volunteering for Maria Hadden\u2019s City Council campaign on election day. \u201cWe\u2019ve got [Alderman] Joe Moore who\u2019s been in office forever and ever,\u201d she says. \u201cThe underlying basis of Maria\u2019s decision-making is maybe more respecting the value of all [people] of the city.\u201d (Becky Dernbach \/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"14\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-22-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Calling voters\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"14\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"Calling voters\" src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-22-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-22-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">Lori Clark, the executive director of the Jane Addams Senior Caucus, makes election night calls to voters. (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"15\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-26-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Back at headquarters\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"15\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"Back at headquarters\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-26-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-26-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">Colin Hill and Virginia Iungerich bring Anwuli Anigbo back to the rent control referendum headquarters, where she signs in to keep in touch with the campaign. (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"16\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-27-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Staying warm inside\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"16\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"Staying warm inside\" src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-27-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-27-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">Nancy Kulppi, 75, makes calls to voters from the comfort of the office. &#8220;I&#8217;ll do anything but be cold,&#8221; she says. &#8220;I just hate being cold.&#8221; (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class=\"wpmf-gallery-item\" data-index=\"17\"><div class=\"wpmf-gallery-icon\"><div class=\"square_thumbnail\"><div class=\"img_centered\"><a class=\" not_video noLightbox\" data-lightbox=\"0\" data-href=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-30-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Just before polls close\" target=\"_self\" data-index=\"17\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpmf_img\" alt=\"Just before polls close\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-30-150x150.jpg\" data-type=\"wpmfgalleryimg\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-30-150x150.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\">Bernice Walker, a volunteer with the Jane Addams Senior Caucus, makes calls in the last hours before polls close. (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<p>McLaren said the campaign saw a lot of support in Rogers Park, where many residents said their rents were too high and expressed concern about high-end developments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe know this is something Chicagoans want, this is something Chicagoans need, to sustain our communities and keep our communities together and not have them become a luxury playground,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Illinois governor-elect J. B. Pritzker, a Democrat, has expressed support for repealing the ban. But the bill for repeal that would that establish county rent control boards, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ilga.gov\/legislation\/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=3512&amp;GAID=14&amp;DocTypeID=SB&amp;LegId=111613&amp;SessionID=91&amp;GA=100\">SB 3512<\/a>, has stalled in the Democratic-controlled state Senate.<\/p>\n<p>Real estate industry groups and some property owners are organizing to oppose rent controls. Michael Glasser, president of the Rogers Park Builders Group, told Chicago Tonight that rent control will not solve Chicago\u2019s affordable housing shortage. \u201cWherever it\u2019s been implemented in the U.S. and elsewhere, it\u2019s proven to diminish the supply of affordable housing available and bring the existing housing into a state of disrepair,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Allen Smith, a building owner in Rogers Park and a board member of the Rogers Park Builders Group, said rents are going up as more renters are drawn to the neighborhood and property taxes rise. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen more people come into the rental market. We\u2019ve seen the North Side of Chicago be a desired place to live. We\u2019ve seen more people who are dependent on or choose to use public transportation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Smith manages about 850 apartments across a wide range of price points, and has ownership stake in about 60 percent of them, he said. He said rent control could lead to unintended consequences, including an increased property tax burden for homeowners and decreased incentives for landlords to take care of their properties.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I think the best solution is to let the market sort that stuff out,\u201d he said. \u201cThere is affordable housing to be had, and you just have to find it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Rogers Park is the home of Loyola University as well as one of the most diverse and integrated<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcchicago.com\/blogs\/ward-room\/White-Flight-By-The-Numbers-206302551.html\"> neighborhoods in Chicago<\/a>. Residents say they prize the neighborhood\u2019s diversity, but they\u2019re already seeing it change due to rising rents.<\/p>\n<p>According to 2016 five-year estimates for the American Community Survey, 43 percent of residents in the 12 census tracts that comprise Rogers Park are white, up from 38 percent in 2010. Data shows 26 percent of Rogers Park residents are black and 22 percent are Hispanic or Latino, down from 28 percent and 25 percent in 2010.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m someone who really loves my neighborhood and really love Rogers Park because of the diversity and I really don\u2019t want to see the neighborhood change the way it\u2019s changing,\u201d says Judith Cooper, a landlord who supports the rent control bill.<\/p>\n<p>Cooper, who rents out one of the units of the two-flat where she lives, says realtors looking to make a quick profit have been increasing their footprint in the neighborhood. Property values and, with them, property taxes, are increasing, she says, which causes more turnover and higher rents. She sees the rent control bill, and its built-in incentives for small landlords to keep rent low and make improvements, as a way to level the playing field.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGetting some kind of tax credit for doing repairs would be really helpful,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Sandra, who is still negotiating with her landlord over her proposed rent increase, said it will be a hard battle to pass rent control. But the growing momentum, and the opportunity to work with the Jane Addams Senior Caucus, gives her hope.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith poverty comes powerlessness,\u201d she said. \u201cIt gives a little bit of hope that there could be changes that would protect me somewhat.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Editor&#8217;s note: Sandra&#8217;s name has been changed to protect her identity.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"featurecaption\">Photo at top: Reggie Griffin, a volunteer with the Jane Addams Senior Caucus, asks a voter to support the rent control referendum outside a polling place Nov. 6. (Becky Dernbach \/ MEDILL)<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Becky Dernbach Medill Reports Sandra imagined getting older as a peaceful time to retire and travel. She didn\u2019t expect to be fighting to stay in her Rogers Park apartment as the rising rent takes up more and more of her fixed income on Social Security every year. \u201cI didn\u2019t see my old age like [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":502,"featured_media":73375,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,4447,30,675],"tags":[192],"class_list":["post-73359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-fall-2018","category-public-affairs","category-social-justice","tag-promo","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Rent control campaign builds momentum in Rogers Park - Medill Reports Chicago<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/rent-control-campaign-builds-momentum-in-rogers-park\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Rent control campaign builds momentum in Rogers Park - Medill Reports Chicago\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Becky Dernbach Medill Reports Sandra imagined getting older as a peaceful time to retire and travel. She didn\u2019t expect to be fighting to stay in her Rogers Park apartment as the rising rent takes up more and more of her fixed income on Social Security every year. \u201cI didn\u2019t see my old age like [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/rent-control-campaign-builds-momentum-in-rogers-park\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Medill Reports Chicago\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-11-23T19:56:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2018-12-11T02:32:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1100\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"733\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"beckydernbach2019\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"beckydernbach2019\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/rent-control-campaign-builds-momentum-in-rogers-park\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/rent-control-campaign-builds-momentum-in-rogers-park\/\",\"name\":\"Rent control campaign builds momentum in Rogers Park - Medill Reports Chicago\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/rent-control-campaign-builds-momentum-in-rogers-park\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/rent-control-campaign-builds-momentum-in-rogers-park\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-11-23T19:56:07+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-12-11T02:32:10+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/#\/schema\/person\/40c00ed65275b17c50018b0e3a89e650\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/rent-control-campaign-builds-momentum-in-rogers-park\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/rent-control-campaign-builds-momentum-in-rogers-park\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/rent-control-campaign-builds-momentum-in-rogers-park\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Rent-control-1.jpg\",\"width\":1100,\"height\":733,\"caption\":\"Reggie Griffin, a volunteer with the Jane Addams Senior Caucus, asks a voter to support the rent control referendum outside a polling place Nov. 6. 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