Chicago Housing Authority shuts out community members, independent media on Lathrop Homes
Lathrop Homes, near the intersection of Diversey and Clyborn
You would think that if someone were considering knocking down your own home, you’d be the first to know, right?
Not so for North Side residents of Lathrop homes. CHA’s holding a secret press conference today, just for select members of large media outlets, to release a document requesting firms to redevelop the entire complex.
Were community members invited? Nope. Were residents invited? No. Were many of the people who sit on the working group that’s supposed to determine the future of Lathrop invited? No, sir.
It’s a “big disappointment,” according to Miguel Suarez, a Lathrop resident.
“It’s almost like they pulled the rug from under us,” says Suarez. “It’s like, all along, we were kept in the dark.”
Lathrop, circa 1938
Lathrop is one of the North Side’s only family public housing developments, a small triangle of 1930’s era public housing in the midst of Bucktown and Lakeview. For the last 10 years, the CHA has been tearing down public housing all over the city, making way for new “mixed-income” communities that include market-rate homeowners and renter, creating development in “blighted” areas.
But if you’ve ever been to Bucktown or driven down the posh streets of Lakeview, you’ll know that the area isn’t exactly spare when it comes to development. A giant Costco sits just down the street from Lathrop. Market-rate housing, good schools, shops, libraries, transit – it’s all there. So, residents there say instead of razing the historical landmark buildings, let’s rehab them and create affordable housing for the hundreds and thousands of families in this city who can’t afford a decent place to live.
At today’s press conference, CHA will release an RFQ – a Request for Qualifications – that will ask firms to apply to be a “green” developer for Lathrop’s future.
Last month, when the Lathrop working group met – the group of community members, CHA officials and residents that are supposed to be deciding Lathrop’s future – there was still a lot undecided, says Stephanie Villinski, lawyer for the residents.
“I don’t know what’s been changed. I don’t know what’s going out to the public,” says Villinski. “There’s not a consensus. The residents do not back the RFQ.”
Villinski says CHA talks a good game – wanting to include residents and make this a community process. But they’re actions show their real intentions.
“They’re going to pull this stunt where they’re not even going to tell us it’s coming out today, and then not even invite us?” says Villinski. “You break all confidence right there.”
CHA officials could not respond to my questions about why community members were not invited, as they were busy prepping for the press conference. I’m told I’ll get answers on that later.
I received word of the press conference from community advocates. They had heard from a few reporters. When I called this morning to ask why I had not been invited, I was told it was “nothing personal.” It was just media strategy, apparently, to only invite the big fish in the pond.
Needless to say, I wan’t that pleased. I didn’t spend the last year of my life going to every single CHA meeting to be left out for “strategy reasons”. This must mean that I am on some sort of CHA black list. Sniff, sniff. I’ll see if I can make it through the day… oh wait, I’m fine.
Jim Peters, head of Landmarks Illinois, says he’s hopeful that today’s RFQ will include measures that would encourage developers to reuse, rather than just bulldoze, Lathrop’s historic buildings.
“We were really pushing them [to do that], and they seem to have complied. In the last draft that I saw, that at least was an option.”
We’ll see what comes of this press conference and RFQ being released. More news for you later, my friends.
Until then, I sign-off – your disincluded reporter. At least I’m in good company.
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Megan Cottrell, Monica Reida. Monica Reida said: RT @mmcottrell Chicago Housing Authority shuts out community members, independent media, on the future of Lathrop Homes http://bit.ly/5SQKwr [...]
I’m thrilled to find this forum. I have great hopes (and great expectations) for the coming decade.
As a recently transplanted Californian, I have watched in wonder at the machinations of the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago. My hope is that the agonizing Cabrini-Green dismantling will not be repeated at Lathrop.
Thanks so much for commenting, Elena! I’m glad you found the blog too!
I’m not from Illinois either, so I share your wonder at our state and city’s political maneuverings.
Over at another site where I posted this article, someone suggested to me that the residents at Lathrop should just understand that a political deal has already been made concerning their home, so they should just know better and roll over. I thought, “What? Are you kidding me?”
I feel like lots of people here are resigned to the corruption, and that’s frustrating. How do we change things if we can’t at least recognize when things are wrong?
In response to another comment. See in context »I’m not completely familiar with the comings and goings of public housing, so my opinion is just that-an opinion based on what limited understanding I have. I do have a question though: if this is public housing, do the people pay to live there, or is it free?
If it is free, it would seem to me that although those people are tenants, since they have no financial investment, they shouldn’t really have a say. Not trying to be harsh, I’m just trying to understand the outrage. Yes, the situations these people are in suck, but to give them say in something they don’t really have any ownership in would be silly.
On the flip side of this, if they do pay rent and they do have financial interest in this, then the city and those responsible for these meetings and considerations should be ashamed of themselves for potentially rendering these people homeless (or for considering it).
Anyone feel free to educate me since I am not knowledgeable on the subject. My only experience is having gotten lost driving through Chicago (I’m a DeKalb, IL native) and wandering past Cabrini Green. That being said, I’m not a huge fan of Chicago or the way things are run there.
All that being said, it is a shame that after such a long time investment in this, Megan, you are left in the dark about it. Did you manage to ruffle some feathers higher up in the chain of things in your dealings with this place?
Hi Philip! Thanks for wandering in from DeKalb. If you’re not always happy with the way things are run in Chicago, you would fit right in here with the rest of the citizenry.
I (very briefly) wrote about public housing, and yes, residents do pay rent. It’s adjusted based on income.
In response to another comment. See in context »Ok, thanks for clarifying. It seems to me that the residents should at least be notified of possible changes, but of course, I know that is wishful thinking. Beaurocrats don’t seem to think of their constituents when making decisions, unfortunately, and the fact that this is becoming “behind closed doors” and only for a select few media members appears a little fishy to me. It kind of sounds like C-SPANs complaint against the current administration’s lack of transparency during the health care debate (sorry for the jab, I lean to the right-feel free to jump all over this, lol).
A quick question: is it a private corp that runs the public housing, such as a charity, or is it run by the city/state gov’t? Or I guess maybe I just answered my own question there…
And I actually wandered from DeKalb to Jacksonville, FL, where I currently bang my head against a cubicle wall in the mortgage business.
In response to another comment. See in context »Hi Phillip! Sorry I was slow to answer your questions, but I’m glad Claire was there.
Just to add a few more details – the lowest rent a public housing family can pay is $75 a month, but it’s almost always 30% of your income. In my experience, that is between $400-$700 a month for most families. 30% is what economists say you should pay for housing, while still having enough money for all other kinds of stuff.
The residents are aware that major changes are going to take place. They have this “working group” that’s supposed to give them a voice. But like the advocates say, at the end of the day, they don’t have any real power.
In response to another comment. See in context »[...] The fight for equal housing opportunities is always present. One such struggle is found at the Lathrop Homes housing project. Recently announced were the plans to change the buildings from low-income into mixed-income housing. To learn more about the Lathrop Homes redevelopment plans read this. [...]
[...] The fight for equal housing opportunities is always present. One such struggle is found at the Lathrop Homes housing project. Recently announced were the plans to change the buildings from low-income into mixed-income housing. To learn more about the Lathrop Homes redevelopment plans read this. [...]