Happy April Fools’ Day!

Sometimes the world’s axis seems to tilt just a bit more, and there’s a crazy confluence of events. When that happens, the steady beat of the news drums turns into a pair of rampaging kettle drums. This week, the kettle drums got walloped twice.

1. Affordable Housing, CHA’s Plan for Transformation and The Cost of Segregation

This week, a pair of reports, one that quantifies in dollars the cost of Chicago’s segregation, and a second from the Chicago Inspector General on the fiscal management of the city’s affordable housing program, piled onto another monster report last week on the poor state of the Chicago Housing Authority’s mixed-use, affordable housing program, The Plan For Transformation. Threading through all three reports and issues are the value of real estate, and how in Chicago, “the wrong side of the tracks” really means something.

The Metropolitan Planning Council and Urban Institute’s report on segregation charges that, “If the economic and the black-white segregation measures were the median amount, the associated increase in black per capita income would be 15.1 percent, or $2,982, making for an aggregate increase of $4.4 billion in black per capita income.” The report is chock-full of findings, like that the Chicago-area is the 5th most segregated region in the country.

Meanwhile, two of the vehicles meant to help unwind Chicago’s segregation, mixed-income and affordable housing, continue to have problems, according to recent reports. Last week WBEZ published the results of a study conducted with Northwestern University, finding that less than 8% of former CHA public housing residents, uprooted in the 1990’s from demolished public housing projects like Stateway Gardens and Cabrini Green, were resettled in promised mixed-income developments as part of the Plan For Transformation. CHA says it is rebooting its efforts, but for twenty years, CHA hasn’t had shown much results.

The other housing prong, affordable housing, is managed by the Chicago Department of Planning. To its credit, since 2015 DPD has created “north of 20,000” of a 41,000 unit goal of affordable housing units, however, a recent Chicago Inspector General report found $4.5 million of affordable housing funds from 2013 to 2015 was inappropriately accounted for.

2. Sanctuary Status & ICE at Odds

Incredibly, just as U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was threatening in a press conference Monday to ‘claw back’ federal funds to Chicago law enforcement because it insisted on not assisting federal immigration officials, Chicago’s immigrant community was reeling from a dawn raid that same day by said immigration officials who shot a 53-year old man, Felix Torres Sr., in his Belmont-Cragin house.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials were pursuing Torres’s son, Felix Torres, Jr, who was wanted on felony weapons charges. Part of ICE’s purview, includes investigating drugs and weapons smuggling. ICE has not answered questions about whether or not immigration status was part of Torres Jr’s arrest, but they did announce later this week that they found two weapons in a search of the Torres’ home.

While it seems that ICE’s morning raid was not attempting to apprehend an undocumented immigrant, Monday’s convergence of events managed to highlight the fears of immigrant advocates, that Chicago’s sanctuary status will only make ordinary law enforcement more difficult, as immigrants of all statuses, legal and otherwise, will fear interactions with police.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel responded to Session’s threats, calling them “a bit of a joke” since Department of Justice funding is already scheduled to be cut in President Donald Trump’s proposed 2018 budget.

Chicago City Council convened this week for a pretty non-controversial agenda. But what didn’t make it to the Council floor is a lot more interesting. This week, we focus on a group of Jefferson Park residents fighting back against dense development (and why), and detail some items that were either delayed, or aren’t fully fleshed out: restrictions on street performers, set-asides for veterans on city contracts, and a new municipal ID program.

Got questions, comments, or suggestions? Email us: [email protected].  

An intergovernmental agreement between the city and the Chicago Board of Education introduced at Wednesday’s City Council meeting would allocate up to $48 million from the River South Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district to construct a new elementary school in the South Loop, bringing the city’s total TIF investment in the project to $59 million. It’s one of the biggest investments of TIF for a single school construction in Mayor Emanuel’s tenure.

 

In addition to the big headline items outlined in our City Council wrap, and other items previewed in the days ahead of council (the crackdown on party buses, the expansion of the city’s Smart Lighting program, and a call for the city to back the Environmental Protection Agency and the federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative) aldermen and Mayor Emanuel introduced dozens of measures that caught our eye. We've catalogued close to 150 non-routine and zoning items in our monthly spreadsheet here: March Introductions. As of this writing, language was not available for most measures. We’ll have a more thorough rundown soon.

A Chicago-sponsored ID program for the city’s undocumented, and possibly underage homeless as well as formerly incarcerated residents is one step closer to reality with an official ordinance introduced at Wednesday’s full City Council meeting. Two downtown aldermen ditched their preliminary noise ban on downtown street performers with a new measure “aimed at striking a fair compromise.” And after winning her runoff election, Ald. Sophia King (4) was officially sworn in to finish out the remainder of Will Burns’ term.

SEIU Local 1 members kept up pressure on aldermen who had yet to sponsor their ordinance requiring airliners to agree to fair wage standards for subcontractors when they apply for a lease agreement with the city, passing out fliers accusing several aldermen of “siding with airlines over Chicago’s workers,” and showing some sitting atop a United aircraft, with Ald. Ed Burke (14) at front with his arms outstretched, in front of Ald. Tom Tunney (44), Ald. Marty Quinn (13), Ald. Mike Zalewski (23), Ald. Marge Laurino (40), and Ald. Pat O’Connor (40).

 

Aldermen on City Council’s Finance Committee delayed consideration of two items Tuesday: an easing of the city’s flavored tobacco ban for some retailers, and new work rules for pharmacists. Both items backed by Chairman Ed Burke (14) were held, and both items had constituencies lined up to testify for and against. The rest of the day’s agenda passed easily and without much questioning from aldermen, though protesters against the Dakota Access Pipeline did take the opportunity to testify on more than half of the items, pleading with aldermen to take action.

A plan to quiet street performers along portions of Michigan Avenue and State Street is back up for consideration today after the measure was blocked last month.

But as of this publication,it’s unclear whether aldermen will vote on the original ordinance drafted by Ald. Brendan Reilly (42) and Ald. Brian Hopkins (2) or a substitute. Ald. Reilly told reporters Tuesday that he’s still working on a substitute with the administration, street performers who’d be impacted by the noise limits, and other community stakeholders. Ald. Reilly declined to detail those possible changes, saying the language wasn’t finished.

At the February City Council meeting, two aldermen used a parliamentary procedure to block action on the item. Any item that is deferred and published by two aldermen is held until the next council meeting and re-writes are not subject to reconsideration by committee.

Highlights of Items Up For Vote

• An amendment clarifying boundaries and meters around Wrigley Field where surge pricing (doubling the hourly rate to $4 during games and events) would take effect starting April 10th. More than 1,100 meters would be impacted for a projected annual revenue increase of $2.4M (O2017-912) / (Our Coverage)


• Class 6(b) property tax incentives for Summit Industries, Inc. in the 33rd Ward; Quality Armature, Inc. in the 37th Ward; and for Mays Chemical Company in the 9th Ward  (full list)/ (Our Coverage)


• A proposal from Ald. Tom Tunney (44) and Ald. Rob Sawyer (6) to lower the legal age eligibility to serve and sell alcohol in Chicago from 21-years-old to 18-years-old. This would cover restaurants, supermarkets and any other business that sells liquor. (SO2017-231)  


• A resolution reaffirming Chicago as a Sanctuary City, supporting the DACA and DAPA program and denouncing the practice of deporting military veterans and Gold Star Families


• Expenditure of Open Space Impact Fee Funds for:  Kil-Parker Community Garden (31st Ward), 42nd Sheet Garden projects (3rd Ward), Brown Memorial Park (6th Ward),  Christiana Park 24th Ward), and for the construction of 6049 S. Whipple St. Park (16th Ward)


• Appointment of Anthony Simpkins  to the Chicago Low income Housing Trust Fund Board


• Limitations on rooftop features in Residential (“R”) Zoning Districts (TAD-555) and a requirement that any new small venue entertainment or sports facility that wants to locate in the Elston Corridor (Planned Manufacturing District No. 2-A) (O2016-8421)

Major land sale, zoning and planned development items:

CPS/CITY

• A new $44M Dore Elementary School in the  Clearing neighborhood near Midway Airport.(O2016-8493)


• A $1.6 million horse riding facility and barn for the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences in Mount Greenwood


• A new $22 million annex for Zapata Elementary School in Little Village.


• A land acquisition that’d facilitate a new tech and employment incubator at the former Bouchet Annex in the 8th Ward (O2017-918)


• New northwest side satellite hearing facility  and payment office for the Departments of Finance and Administrative Hearings. The ordinance allows them to rent out about 7,000 square feet at the Albany Square stripmall. (O2017-954)

PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT (Highlights)

• Goettsch Partners' Riverfront 52-Story Office Tower for 110 N. Wacker, a roughly $600M endeavor to replace old General Growth Building. A new public pocket park and riverfront walkway are planned, as the glass building abuts the Chicago River.  (O2017-156) / (Renderings  / Exhibit)


• Lagunitas’ proposed expansion for their existing facilities in Douglas Park. (O2016-7308)


• A 99-unit, 8-Story Wicker Park Hotel that’ll replace a Shell gas station at the corner of Ashland and North Avenues (O2016-643)


• Praedium Development’s A proposed 197-unit TOD (transit oriented development) at the corner of Broadway and Wilson, a few steps away from the Wilson Red Line stop. (O2016-5600)


• A new senior residence building for Englewood (16th Ward) – The approximately $28 million affordable senior housing project, called the “Montclare Senior Residences of Englewood” includes 102 units. MR Properties will be taking advantage of Low Income Housing Tax Credits (O2016-2622)


• Mega Realty’s planned four-story, 39-unit mixed-use building with ground floor retail near the Jefferson Park Transit Station (O2016-1622)

The Salvation Army would build and oversee a centralized intake center for homeless families in Chicago under a delegate agreement advanced by the Council’s Budget Committee Tuesday.

The City Council Finance committee convenes at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday to consider changes to the flavored tobacco ban, new rules for pharmacists, changes to the Small Business Improvement Fund, tax breaks and a board appointment.

Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) and 16 co-sponsors (including fellow members of the Veterans Caucus) are backing the expansion of the city’s Business Enterprise Program to include businesses owned by veterans [O2017-938]. “Many of those who served honorably in our nation's military forces forewent opportunities for professional and financial advancement in serving our nation, and at times incurred pain, suffering, and disability while in service,” the preamble notes, while noting this program wouldn’t step on the toes of other programs for minorities or women.

A proposal to build a five-story story storage facility near the Jefferson Park Transit Station was temporarily held in Zoning Committee Monday after a quorum call made nearly seven hours into the meeting found the committee lacking sufficient numbers for a vote.

Though it is rare for the 18-member Zoning Committee to have nine or more members present at regular meetings, Ald. Ed Burke (14) used the issue to block a development Monday that has been subject to pushback from a vocal segment of the neighborhood. The committee received 120 letters in opposition and several witnesses referred to an online petition that has garnered more than 4,000 signatures.   

The City Council’s Zoning Committee meets at 10:00 a.m. today to approve all items that went through the Plan Commission earlier this month ahead of the full Council meeting Wednesday. The agenda includes a controversial five-story storage facility for Jefferson Park, which garnered more than two hours of public testimony in the Plan Commission hearing.

Chicago’s Commissioner of Planning and Development, David Reifman, joined our publisher, Mike Fourcher for a fast-paced and far-reaching conversation about Chicago’s development future: potential changes to affordable housing rules, Transit Oriented Development incentives, and major developments in the pipeline–an overhaul of the city’s 26 manufacturing districts (PMDs), the Michael Reese site, and the Old Main Post Office.

Starting April 10th at 5:00 p.m., surge parking rates will take effect around Wrigley Field. And depending on its success, the program could be replicated around the city, increasing rates at meters located near any major Chicago event that prompts a significant amount of foot and vehicular congestion. An amendment clarifying the boundaries of the surge pricing plan was advanced out of the Council’s Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Thursday and is scheduled for a vote by the full Council next Wednesday.

Under the pilot program, which was first announced and approved by the Council during the budget process last fall, hourly rates at parking meters around Wrigley Field would double from $2 to $4 an hour. Though, when the pilot was first revealed, the city’s Budget Office had projected surge pricing at 820 meters around Wrigley Field and 670 parking meters around Soldier Field would generate $2.4 million. Eventually, at the behest of the local Ald. Pat Dowell (3), the administration agreed to delay implementation at Soldier Field.

Chief Financial Officer Carole Brown told aldermen Thursday the annual revenue projections have been reduced, from $2.4 million to $1.5 million, while the number of affected meters around Wrigley increased to 1,148. The pilot zone includes Irving Park Road to the North, Southport on the West, Belmont on the South and Broadway to the East.