Legislation could aid non-wage income renters

Legislation could aid non-wage income renters

Before the Illinois General Assembly adjourns April 8, housing advocates are pushing for passage of HB 2775, legislation that would prevent landlords from discriminating against tenants who pay their rent with non-wage income such as Social Security, child support, Veteran’s benefits, or Housing Choice Vouchers.

This bill would assist approximately 99,000 Housing Choice Voucher participants and more than 575,000 households earning non-wage income such as Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplementary Security Income, Temporary Aid to Needy Families or COVID-19 emergency assistance, according to the Lawyers Committee for Better Housing (LCBH). Over half of Illinoisans earn some kind of non-wage income.

Illinois would become the 20th state to protect these legal sources of income for renters; the City of Chicago and Cook County already have similar laws in place.

Besides LCBH, the legislation has the support of more than 100 Chicago and downstate organizations, including StreetWise, the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Access Living, Chicago Area Fair Housing Alliance, the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, the Manufactured Homeowners Association of Illinois, the DuPage County Housing Authority and Winnebago County Housing Authority. The Housing Choice Voucher program, formerly known as “Section 8” is HUD’s largest program to help tenants with low incomes pay their rent.

Advocates say that they have worked to reach a compromise with entities that oppose the bill, so that it will now be easier for property owners to comply.

State Rep. LaShawn Ford (D-Chicago) introduced HB2775 in February 2021 and it passed the Illinois House in April 2021. Led by State Sen. Ram Villivalam, it has 26 co-sponsors in the Illinois Senate.

-Suzanne Hanney, from online sources

Renters protest living conditions in rogers park apartments

No more public dollars should “be going to an entity that cannot fulfill its obligations,” Ald. Maria Hadden (49th ward) said of Related Midwest, owners of the federally-subsidized Northpoint Apartments in Rogers Park, during a press conference called by residents to protest bed bug and rat infestation, broken stoves, refrigerators and heating systems, since a five-day renovation last summer.

Hadden said she and state officials have had many agreeable meetings with Related Midwest, which bought Northpoint in 2019 and which is the developer of “The 78,” a 62-acre, luxury development along a half-mile of the South Branch of the Chicago River. Tenants called the March 15 press conference outside the Northpoint management office at 7717 N. Paulina because they felt they were not being heard regarding “punchlists” submitted for maintenance issues.

Hadden said she was hoping for better management when Related Midwest acquired Northpoint three years ago, because of its global reputation. “[But] they have not fixed many of the problems these residents are living with, and these are minimum standards. Poor people matter too. I know you’re a for-profit corporation, but you can make plenty of profit while doing your job.”

After the renovation, Valerie Davis said she “came home to a nightmare.” Her stove takes 10 minutes to come on; oatmeal that should cook in 10 minutes takes an hour. “In a year, I haven’t cooked a whole meal.”

“My daughter had the same problem, but her oven blew up,” said Brenda Dunkins, a 35-year resident, who can now see the building’s basement from her bathroom.

Deborah Crosby, 7628 N. Boswell, said she had five different stoves and each time was told that parts needed to be ordered. ”They claim they are new stoves, but who has to order parts for new stoves. I think they are refurbished.”

Yet another mother said a bedbug bit her baby on the mouth; like roaches, they crawl through heating vents and on the floor.

The Northpoint Apartments are 304 Section 8 units in 12 multi-family buildings, three- and four-story walkups in non-continuous, adjoining blocks.

A Related Midwest spokesperson said that the $21 million renovation began in July 2020 and was mostly completed at the end of 2021: new roofs, hot water heaters, security cameras, intercom system; hallway improvements, masonry restoration, renovated community room and management office. Five-day renovations to units included new floors, kitchen cabinets, plumbing fixtures and countertops, new lighting, bathroom fixtures, tub surrounds, painting and baseboard heating units where they had not been installed. Windows were replaced, but not during the five-day period. Wheelchair accessible units underwent a 10-day renovation in order to move walls for a larger turning radius in kitchens and bathrooms.

The construction team was working to close out roughly 10 “warranty items.” Last November, Related Midwest surveyed residents regarding outstanding work such as painting, flooring or appliance issues and circulated a tracking sheet to Northside Action for Justice to keep them informed.

In another statement, the company said it remained committed to working with residents, organizers and elected officials, including monthly meetings.