A Call To Increase Housing Resources

The Chicago Rehab Network says the city’s 5-Year Housing Plan must address “woes” families and residents face seeking places to live, according to a May 5, 2008 press release.

That month, CRN called on elected officials “to commit to measures that will preserve neighborhoods, expand interaction and public leadership and commit badly needed resources to help buttress residents hit by the current economic downturn.”

A recent CRN report on the results of the 5-Year Plan, that expires this year, found too many people, especially renters, spend too much money just to have a place to call home.

According to the CRN Housing Fact Sheet, nearly half of Chicago renters paid more than one-third of incomes for housing in 2006, leaving little money for other vital purchases and needs. Renter-occupied units decreased by 70,000 over 5 years, the Housing Fact Sheet shows.

“It is time for the city to increase its commitment of resources. The investment will help those who most need it today and will help secure affordable housing for those who need help tomorrow,” stated Kevin Jackson, executive director of the citywide coalition of community based development organizations founded in 1977.

CRN also announced 21 recommendations that promote affordable housing and policy decisions that help keep Chicago a place where everyone can find a place to live. Among the recommendations included, halting the loss of family-size (2+ bedroom) rental units through policies and resources focused on re-growing the stock of family-size apartments in the city’s housing program.

Invoking a moratorium on condo conversions until an effective tracking policy can be developed to analyze and effectively mitigate what the loss of the rental unit(s) means to a local community.

Inclusion of affordable housing development in the city’s capital program funding for the first time, and a set policy to begin acquiring and transferring foreclosed, abandoned or near-abandoned homes to nonprofit owners to manage and house Chicagoans.

Also, reduce costs and ensure preservation of existing affordable housing stock by foregoing property taxes paid by nonprofit-owned affordable housing units.