Bring Chicago Home backers retreat and regroup
CHICAGO — Days after Chicago voters said no to raising the real estate transfer tax on property sales over $1 million to combat homelessness in the city, supporters of the measure struck a tone of humility.
“When voters send a message through their votes, we have a responsibility to listen, even if we disagree,” a statement from the City Council’s Progressive Caucus read Tuesday. “Voters who opposed the referendum told us their vote represented their current distrust, frustration, and disappointment with City government.”
Dick Simpson, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois-Chicago and former 44th Ward Alderman, elaborated further on the general lack of confidence Chicago voters have in city government.
“The language was complicated,” Simpson said Tuesday. “It was on the back of the ballot, the turnout was low and in addition, a lot of citizens didn’t really trust the administration would spend the money well if they gave them $100 million.”
Progressives and the broad coalition of groups that spent years pushing for Bring Chicago Home are not ready to reveal their next move. As they regroup, they’re stressing to all who’ll listen that Chicago’s homeless problem continues to grow.
That was the message last week from Mayor Brandon Johnson, who vowed to keep organizing around the issue.
“Look, there are 68,000 people who are unhoused – that’s the focus. One-in-four Black children will experience homelessness in the city of Chicago throughout their educational career,” Johnson said last week. “[I’m] very much committed, the fight still goes on.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Mayor Johnson vows Brings Chicago Home fight not over
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd Ward) — Who opposed the ballot question — has spent his time recently pushing the Chicago Help Initiative, one of a number of existing outreach organizations that help the homeless. Hopkins wants to find funding for groups like them.
“Every mayor, at least in my lifetime, has had very specific plans to address this issue and has made some progress. Have we ended homelessness? of course not,” Hopkins said. “Arguably, in some ways, it’s gotten worse. Economic cycles are a big driving factor for that.
“But to say that we’ve never even tried and that this Bring Chicago Home $100 million cash grab was somehow a miracle panacea solution that everybody’s overlooked until now, that’s ridiculous.”
With Bring Chicago Home defeated, Johnson has turned his attention toward convincing City Council to pass his plan to borrow $1.25 billion for economic development and affordable housing.
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