November 17th, 2009

By: Kelly Viselman
Ezra Multiservices

On November 17th, 2009 the Organization of the NorthEast, in conjunction with its community member institutions and the Sweet Home Chicago Coalition held a Thanksgiving themed march for Affordable Housing in Uptown to show support of the Sweet Home Chicago TIF Ordinance. The Sweet Home Chicago TIF Ordinance is asking that 20 percent of TIF (tax increment financing) dollars generated each year be designated by the city for use in building or rehabbing affordable housing. It also asks for a revision of affordability standards so that affordable housing is actually affordable for people with the greatest financial need.


Over 250 community members and community organizations were present to show their support. The march wound through the Uptown community stopping at several social service agencies and at affordable housing buildings that utilized TIF funding to be built. Amongst these affordable housing buildings was the Lawrence House, an example of a building that would be positively impacted by the availability of more TIF dollars to help rehab its current substandard conditions. Members of the newly formed Lawrence House Tenants Association were active at the march and spoke out to tell the larger Uptown community about their work in demanding decent living conditions at the Lawrence House. The march ended at the Leland building where several community leaders spoke about the impact of affordable housing in the Uptown Community and then everyone ate lunch together!


Community members at the march also took action by signing postcards asking Alderman Helen Shiller to support the ordinance as well as signing a letter of support for the tenants in the Lawrence House. The march was successful in rallying the community together in support of decent affordable housing as well as sustaining the diverse community in Uptown. We want to send a special congratulations to the ONE members that were most active in planning this event: Ezra Multiservices, LIFT, Heartland Human Services, and Mercy Housing Lakefront!

To see the article on the march from Progress Illinois and video footage of Laverne Johnson's speech click here.