2. lcbh.org/initiatives/chicago-housing-justice-league
A collaborative of 37 organizations, convened by
Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing
33 N. LaSalle St.
Suite 900
Chicago, IL 60602
(312)

3. City of Chicago Housing Principles
Avoiding displacement
Preserving affordability
Expanding affordable rental housing
Expanding opportunities for home ownership
Addressing chronic homelessness

4. Chicago Principles of Housing Justice

5. Our basic principles
EVERYONE has access to safe, healthy, accessible and affordable housing – regardless of where they live
New investment does NOT lead to displacement
Development is driven democratically, by and for the community
Low-income households have increased access to affordable housing options near public transit, jobs, parks, healthy food options, health clinics and good public schools
No households, after paying housing costs – including utilities – shall be cost-burdened
Housing policies are viewed through a racial equity lens
New housing is ecologically sustainable
Housing is created and preserved for everyone
Tenants and residents are guaranteed the right to organize
There shall be recognition and rectification of historical injustice
There shall be inclusivity honoring and valuing culture, art, food, language and other components of communities

6. Our overall message
The City of Chicago needs to substantially increase its financial commitment to the five-year housing plan

7. Our Recommendations

8. Just Cause for evictions
To promote neighborhood stability and slow the pace of displacement linked to gentrification, the city should enact a Just Cause or Good Cause for Eviction ordinance

9. Community benefits
On all projects of a certain size, the city should require Community Benefits Agreements developed via a committee of residents

10. TIF reform
The city should redistribute TIF’s in areas that are not blighted sooner than their original expiration date and separately increase the available amount of TIF money

11. Racial equity
The city should implement a racial equity analysis process as a central component for all housing and development decisions

12. PEAR
The city should create a line item of $375 million in the five-year plan to support its new Preserving Existing Affordable Rentals (PEAR) program that is designed to preserve naturally occurring affordable rental housing in Chicago's iconic two-to-four unit buildings This would help preserve 5,000 units

13. Lead remediation
The city should use $25 million annually to fund a three-to-five year lead remediation demonstration project by Chicago Department of Public Health and University of Chicago targeting, committing $25 million from Chicago’s corporate fund annually, in addition to any external dollars received for lead remediation, to remediate 2500 or more units

14. Increase public housing inventory
The city should work with the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) to increase the supply of conventional public housing

15. Build social housing on vacant land
The city should finance and rent sustainable social housing on city-owned vacant land. In contrast to typical US public housing, there would be no income cap for tenancy, but instead rent would be a fixed portion of tenant income. (Accessibility component to be added)

16. Strengthen affordability for ARO housing
Increase on-site affordability requirements under the Affordable Requirements Ordinance (ARO)
Eliminate opt-out fees
Set citywide goal of 30% affordable housing in all community areas with a mandated % be family-sized units (3+ bedrooms) with graduated affordability requirements for communities that are below that benchmark
These policies should apply to buildings constructed under the Transit Oriented Development Ordinance (TOD)

17. Boost funding for Low-Income Housing Trust Fund
Funding to the Low-Income Housing Trust Fund must be substantially increased – by 300%

18. Make covered criminal history a protected class
The city should amend Chicago’s Human Rights Ordinance to add "covered criminal history" as a protected class in the housing section preventing landlords from asking in their initial screening about criminal history, and not ask about arrest and juvenile convictions at all Once prospective tenants "pass" other screening criteria landlords would then be able to implement an "individualized assessment" of criminal history, by taking into account specific factors set forth in the ordinance

19. Exceed accessibility standards under FHAA/504
City-specific accessibility requirements in excess of FHAA/504 requirements. (With focus on building code changes)

20. Fund Limited Equity Co-ops that target low- and moderate-income residents
To promote alternative forms of homeownership, over the next five years the city should:
Create 15 Limited Equity Cooperatives targeting low- and moderate-income residents
Fund a $25 million no- or very-low interest loan fund specifically for LEC’s to cover pre-development and acquisition costs
Provide $5 million in grants annually to families at or below 80% AMI to purchase LEC shares

21. Create 0% loan program for non-profits to purchase properties under foreclosure
The city should commit $8 million annually over the next five years to provide non-profits with a 0% loan program to purchase as many as 40 properties per year at foreclosure auction This would translate to a total investment of $40 million dollars to purchase properties at an average cost of $200,000 each

22. Provide assistance to Lugenia Burns Hope Center’s Bronzeville housing project
The city should assist Lugenia Burns Hope Center's Housing Bronzeville project for its first phase of Bronzeville South Affordable Homes, consisting of 10 homes in the 5500 Block of S. Lafayette Ave. in the Washington Park community

23. Require transparency for all development decisions
The city should adopt policy and procedures that mandate all development decisions (especially those implicating the ARO and TOD, and including evaluation and decision-making at the ward or aldermanic level) be transparent (subject to the Open Meeting Law and the Freedom of Information Act) and are structured to engage meaningful community participation

24. Publicize scoring method of determining developer and contractor grants
The city should make transparent the scoring method of awarding grants to developers and contractors, and promptly make available for public inspection its evaluation of each application The city should increase opportunities and support for mission-based nonprofit developers by adding their nonprofit, mission-based status as a positive criterion in the scoring system

25. Tenant Rights
The city should adopt an ordinance giving all renters the right to organize and be protected from discriminatory and retaliatory treatment relating to exercise of this right

26. Promote ecologically sustainable housing
All housing should be ecologically sound and sustainable by, for example, increasing zoning height limits to provide density, via a high level of environmental and efficiency certification and by purchasing all electricity from community solar and installing PV panels on roofs via the Solar for All program

27. lcbh.org/initiatives/chicago-housing-justice-league
A collaborative of 37 organizations, convened by
Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing
33 N. LaSalle St.
Suite 900
Chicago, IL 60602
(312)