Alderman Joann Thompson (16th ward) at a press conference before Wednesday Jan. 15 City Council Meeting
where the City’s 5-year Affordable Housing Plan was introduced. Photo: Suzanne Hanney
A Streetwise editorial extensively quotes Janet Smith, co-director of the Voorhees Center for Neighborhood and Community Improvement in the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, about her research into the CHA’s Plan for Transformation.
The Chicago Housing Authority has built up reserves of $660 million, even as it has left thousands of apartments unoccupied, failed to meet the construction goals of its Plan for Transformation and withheld 13,000 to 15,000 funded housing vouchers annually, says a low-income housing coalition calling for City oversight of the CHA.
Roughly 15 aldermen joined the Chicago Housing Initiative (CHI) in a press conference before the January 15 Chicago City Council meeting to urge Mayor Rahm Emanuel to extend oversight to the CHA. In addition, the aldermen and CHI sought an amendment to the City’s 2014-18 Five-Year Affordable Housing Plan (see story page 9) to require one-for-one replacement of public housing units redeveloped with City funds.
