FIGHTING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING

August 24, 1988

Chicago Tribune

SAWYER FOE ASSAILS CITY RECORD ON HOUSING FOR POOR PEOPLE

James Strong.

Ald. Helen Shiller (46th) accused Mayor Eugene Sawyer`s administration Tuesday of failing to respond to Chicago`s low-income housing needs and urged that a meeting of government, business, labor and tenant groups be convened to draft a 10-year affordable housing plan.

At a City Hall news conference, Shiller said it was imperative the city move to build or rehabilitate about 6,000 low-income housing units next year through initiatives in the 1989 city budget and to shift the city`s emphasis from temporary shelter programs to permanent affordable housing.

``The Sawyer administration has cut the budget for the Department of Housing, failed to set criteria for the new housing trust fund, ignored the city`s successful Housing Abandonment Prevention Program and failed to continue the initiatives begun during the Washington administration,`` Shiller charged.

Despite the criticism from Shiller, Sawyer has insisted that the improvement in affordable housing is a priority on his agenda.

He helped draft the housing platform this year for the U.S. Conference of Mayors` National Urban Investment Policy.

Shiller, a political foe of Sawyer, contended that less than one-third of the low-income housing lost annually is being replaced in Chicago; that the preliminary Housing Department budget for 1989 has been slashed to $21 million from $27 million; that the city allocates its lowest percentage of federal community development funds for low-cost housing; and that there has been no follow-up to expedite the purchase and rehabilitation of homes repossessed by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Shiller, former vice chairman of the City Council`s Committee on Housing said the following goals should be considered at the housing summit:

- Construction and renovation of 6,000 housing units in 1989.

- Using proceeds from urban renewal sales and revenue bond issues to raise $26 million to renovate 2,100 units obtained through the Tax Reactivation Program.

- Renovation of 250 repossessed HUD single-family homes at a cost of $13 million.

- Renewed action on the manufactured housing project to provide 1,000 rather than 400 mostly moderate- and low-income housing units.

- Appropriation of $5 million to the Housing Abandonment Prevention Program to save 2,000 low-income units from abandonment in 1989.

- Commitment of $5 million annually from the corporate fund to the Housing Trust Fund beginning in 1989 for use in rent subsidies.

- The creation of legislation to establish protected affordable housing zones that restrict the elimination of low-income housing and provide incentives for such housing.

- A commitment to shift at least 500 homeless people from the streets or shelters to stable homes and employment.

Another Sawyer foe, Ald. Timothy Evans (4th) said he supported Shiller`s housing proposals.

Evans called for a housing summit, as proposed several months ago by Shiller and others, to look at ways to deal with the need for affordable housing.

Copyright 1988 Chicago Tribune Company