Logan Square Leaders Want Federal Relief For Affordable Housing, Extended Fines For Demolitions Near The 606
LOGAN SQUARE — Elected leaders and community organizers want the state to invest millions in federal funding toward affordable housing in the Logan Square area, while alderpeople try to maintain high fees for developers who tear down homes along The 606’s Bloomingdale Trail.
Members of Logan Square Neighborhood Association, Alds. Daniel La Spata (1st) and Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th), and State Reps. Delia Ramirez and Will Guzzardi hosted a press conference Monday outside of Logan Square Neighborhood Association office at 2840 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Against a backdrop of signs that read “justicia para la comunidad” and “affordable housing is a human right,” community organizers and elected officials called on state leadership to devote nearly $1 billion from the federal American Recovery Plan Act toward affordable housing across the state, including $5 million toward the Here To Stay Land Community Land Trust.
The community land trust creates affordable homes for families and acquired the first home last fall. It was launched more than two years ago by Logan Square Neighborhood Association and other local organizations including LUCHA and the Center for Changing Lives.
Illinois received $8 billion in ARPA funds to recover from the pandemic. Guzzardi said the group’s plan would devote $855 million of that money toward affordable housing.
“Some of these investments involve building new affordable housing, like the amazing development down here at Emmett Street, but a lot of it also involves supporting families like Ricky [Maldonado]’s — the affordable housing that already exists in our community,” Guzzardi said.