Letter to the Mayor
To Mayor Lori Lightfoot,
We are inviting you to meet us at 110 N. Wacker on November 3, 2022 at 9:30AM to demonstrate how $25 million from the recent sale of this building could have been used to create nearly 200 units of affordable housing with supportive services for persons experiencing homelessness.
We know that Chicagoans think addressing homelessness is a top concern. The Bring Chicago proposal in particular is a popular solution, demonstrated by a diverse group consisting of over 150 community organizations, social service agencies, healthcare providers, and faith leaders. Going even further, in an independent public opinion poll of likely voters in Chicago, over 72% of people polled supported the concept of changing the real estate transfer tax on property sales over $1 million, and dedicating those resources to affordable housing and wraparound services for people experiencing homelessness. Chicagoans understand how the housing crisis is having a negative impact on individuals, families, neighborhoods and the city.
For over three years, we have tried to work with you on a proposal to increase the real estate transfer tax on high-end property sales, creating a new, dedicated revenue for over 65,000 Chicagoans living on the streets, in shelters and doubled-up. When you first took office, you immediately shifted away from your supportive position that you had taken on this issue during your campaign. We were still willing and ready to work with you. Six months later, we tried to work with you in Springfield and offered a compromise that would both dedicate funds for our cause, while also addressing the budget deficit. Since the COVID pandemic in 2020, we have made multiple attempts to meet and work with you to maximize the impact of federal resources and bridge to a long-term solution. Despite all of our attempts, there has been radio silence.
The Bring Chicago Home coalition remains willing and ready to work with you – but will you ever be willing and ready to work with us?
The funds allocated in your budget proposal look great on the surface, but fall woefully short of what our city needs. Why? Because a majority of the funds rely on one-time, federal resources, over 75% of these funds ($176 million) are rolled over from funds that were allocated last year but remain unused. Projects like Revitalizing the LaSalle Street Corridor and Tiny Homes initiative will create few, if any, units for people experiencing homelessness. When we talk about affordable housing, we need to be clear about who the housing is affordable to, and invest in programs that connect people with housing and the services they need to remain housed. If we continue to “invest” in housing with supportive services at the current level, even with the additional one-time federal resources, we would only house 220 households in the next decade. By contrast, our proposal would house over 12,000 households in the same time period. This is what a bold and transformational vision looks like. This should be Chicago’s future.
Despite these shortcomings, we can still address the gaps. It’s not only the right thing to do from a moral standpoint, but is key to addressing challenges that have plagued Chicago for decades.
For example:
Housing + services keeps people housed and stabilizes communities. It’s no secret that people are safer when they are housed. Over 17,000 students experiencing homelessness will be better positioned to do well in school if they know where they will sleep at night. As the homelessness and housing crisis has gotten worse, we have seen a wave of people leaving the city, which destabilizes entire communities and our city as a whole. We must make bold decisions to invest in programs and initiatives that create safe communities, stabilize and heal households who have experienced generational homelessness.
Housing + services advances racial equity. Decades of housing policies have entrenched Chicago as one of the most segregated cities in the country. Four of five people experiencing homelessness are Black or Latinx. Among students at Chicago Public Schools, one in four Black students have experienced homelessness at least once while attending CPS and 90% of those students experience homelessness as living doubled-up. Our proposal will not solve all the racial inequities that come from its scarred history, but it will begin to address racial inequities, house the most vulnerable who are disproportionately people of color, create dedicated funds that can help Chicago turn the corner, and support healing in our city.
To change the real estate transfer tax, we need approval from Chicago voters. Why not let Chicagoans decide? Our proposal has been sitting in the Rules Committee for over two years. We have 17 co-sponsors. With your support, we know that we would have the support of the full city council. You have the power and influence to get this across the finish line.
Please join us on Thursday, November 3rd at 9:30 AM in front of 110 N Wacker to discuss how we can work together. Every moment we wait to take action results in money left on the table that could help solve many of the seemingly intractable challenges our city is facing.
Letter to the Mayor
To Mayor Lori Lightfoot,
We are inviting you to meet us at 110 N. Wacker on November 3, 2022 at 9:30AM to demonstrate how $25 million from the recent sale of this building could have been used to create nearly 200 units of affordable housing with supportive services for persons experiencing homelessness.
We know that Chicagoans think addressing homelessness is a top concern. The Bring Chicago proposal in particular is a popular solution, demonstrated by a diverse group consisting of over 150 community organizations, social service agencies, healthcare providers, and faith leaders. Going even further, in an independent public opinion poll of likely voters in Chicago, over 72% of people polled supported the concept of changing the real estate transfer tax on property sales over $1 million, and dedicating those resources to affordable housing and wraparound services for people experiencing homelessness. Chicagoans understand how the housing crisis is having a negative impact on individuals, families, neighborhoods and the city.
For over three years, we have tried to work with you on a proposal to increase the real estate transfer tax on high-end property sales, creating a new, dedicated revenue for over 65,000 Chicagoans living on the streets, in shelters and doubled-up. When you first took office, you immediately shifted away from your supportive position that you had taken on this issue during your campaign. We were still willing and ready to work with you. Six months later, we tried to work with you in Springfield and offered a compromise that would both dedicate funds for our cause, while also addressing the budget deficit. Since the COVID pandemic in 2020, we have made multiple attempts to meet and work with you to maximize the impact of federal resources and bridge to a long-term solution. Despite all of our attempts, there has been radio silence.
The Bring Chicago Home coalition remains willing and ready to work with you – but will you ever be willing and ready to work with us?
The funds allocated in your budget proposal look great on the surface, but fall woefully short of what our city needs. Why? Because a majority of the funds rely on one-time, federal resources, over 75% of these funds ($176 million) are rolled over from funds that were allocated last year but remain unused. Projects like Revitalizing the LaSalle Street Corridor and Tiny Homes initiative will create few, if any, units for people experiencing homelessness. When we talk about affordable housing, we need to be clear about who the housing is affordable to, and invest in programs that connect people with housing and the services they need to remain housed. If we continue to “invest” in housing with supportive services at the current level, even with the additional one-time federal resources, we would only house 220 households in the next decade. By contrast, our proposal would house over 12,000 households in the same time period. This is what a bold and transformational vision looks like. This should be Chicago’s future.
Despite these shortcomings, we can still address the gaps. It’s not only the right thing to do from a moral standpoint, but is key to addressing challenges that have plagued Chicago for decades.
For example:
Housing + services keeps people housed and stabilizes communities. It’s no secret that people are safer when they are housed. Over 17,000 students experiencing homelessness will be better positioned to do well in school if they know where they will sleep at night. As the homelessness and housing crisis has gotten worse, we have seen a wave of people leaving the city, which destabilizes entire communities and our city as a whole. We must make bold decisions to invest in programs and initiatives that create safe communities, stabilize and heal households who have experienced generational homelessness.
Housing + services advances racial equity. Decades of housing policies have entrenched Chicago as one of the most segregated cities in the country. Four of five people experiencing homelessness are Black or Latinx. Among students at Chicago Public Schools, one in four Black students have experienced homelessness at least once while attending CPS and 90% of those students experience homelessness as living doubled-up. Our proposal will not solve all the racial inequities that come from its scarred history, but it will begin to address racial inequities, house the most vulnerable who are disproportionately people of color, create dedicated funds that can help Chicago turn the corner, and support healing in our city.
To change the real estate transfer tax, we need approval from Chicago voters. Why not let Chicagoans decide? Our proposal has been sitting in the Rules Committee for over two years. We have 17 co-sponsors. With your support, we know that we would have the support of the full city council. You have the power and influence to get this across the finish line.
Please join us on Thursday, November 3rd at 9:30 AM in front of 110 N Wacker to discuss how we can work together. Every moment we wait to take action results in money left on the table that could help solve many of the seemingly intractable challenges our city is facing.