Mayor Brandon formally introduced a plan during a City Council meeting last week on Wednesday. Furthermore, he shared plans to invest more and progress neighborhoods across Chicago by making affordable housing more accessible and economic development projects. Brandon Johnson’s administration had announced that they planned to borrow $1.25 billion from the city temporarily. He was going to finance projects for housing, businesses, innovation, job growth, and cultural and community benefits.
Brandon Johnson’s Investment Plans
Brandon Johnson plans for $625 million to go toward grants for community development, putting money into smaller businesses, and creating more jobs. The other half of the money will go toward affordable housing investments. These investments include more attainable rental housing, helping raise homeownership, and dealing with Chicago’s homelessness.
When Brandon Johnson was questioned about his plans to invest, He said the community and residents deserve this. Further stating that he made a promise to the people and he is going to keep it. Brandon Johnson’s investment plan would also help the city change the way it typically funds development projects through the use of tax increment financing districts, otherwise known as TIFs, to pay off debt. As a replacement, this method will use the money from expiring TIFS to pay off the debt from this bond over time.
TIF districts siphon tax dollars away from the city’s general funds to pay for local development projects, and with this Brandon Johnson plans to use the recovered money from the expiring TIFs to pay for the debts. Bringing in economic development bonds will help attract private investments, and generous investment for those certain neighborhoods that are underserved and underprivileged. Neighborhoods that sadly haven’t received quality development historically.
Homelessness Growing
There is an ever-increasing number of people who are living in Chicago without stable housing. According to a recent report, an estimated count of 68,000 people in Chicago are experiencing homelessness. That’s roughly the same amount of people who are currently living in Skokie.
Brian Rodgers, a grass-roots leader at the Chicago Coalition for the ‘Homeless’ (CCH), stated “It’s everywhere. It’s in everybody’s community.” He was talking about the rampant issue of homelessness in Chicago.
Rodgers meets with people who are enduring homelessness. He will then tell them about his past struggles with homelessness and housing, and how he has been in their shoes before. Furthermore, he also talked of how he was incarcerated twice. Also, how he struggled with finding stable housing when he got out of prison.
For those getting reintroduced into society after incarceration it is hard to live a normal life. Many recently released individuals are affected by homelessness and couch surfing.
Chicago
Another issue that sadly is a consequence of homelessness is an uptick in violence and pollution.
A former Chicago resident, Kay Fay was attacked twice. These attempts happened to her when she had attempted to pass the tents of the homeless encampments while she was in her wheelchair while on her way home. These multiple attacks had prompted Fay to move from Chicago not soon after. As previously stated, the CCH roughly estimates more than 68,000 are living without stable housing within the city, however, there has been a growth of 4.5% from the year before.
The City of Chicago uses the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) method to count how many are experiencing homelessness. This count only considers people who are living in shelters or who live on the streets as truly being homeless. They also calculate the amount of people by using the “Point in Time” (PIT) method.
An I-Team data analysis mentions that one night in January 2023 there were more beds on the market at homeless shelters than people counted as facing homelessness. The “Point in Time” count is mandated by the federal government under HUD every year to get an accurate estimate of how much aid to distribute around the country.
Many experts acknowledge that this count is just a snapshot. Experts also believe that the PIT method leaves many people and organizations in need and without proper help. Hopefully, Brandon Johnson’s office can help alleviate these issues.
Written By: Chiquita Street
Sources :
WGN9 News: Mayor Johnson announces $1.25B plan for affordable housing, other development projects
Chicago Sun Times: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson pitches borrowing $1.25B for housing and development
Block Club Chicago: Mayor’s $1.25 Billion Affordable Housing Plan Would Mean The End Of TIF Districts
ABC 7 Eye Witness News: Public safety concerns around homelessness in Chicago as crisis grows
CBS News: North Side Chicago neighbors concerned about planned homeless shelter in mixed-use building
Featured Image by daveynin’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
First Inset Image by Russ Alison Loar’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
