A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A HEARING ON CHICAGO HOUSING AUTHORITY SECURITY STANDARDS
WHEREAS, The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is the public housing agency forthe City of Chicago, responsiblefor providing affordable residences for over 132,000 Chicagoans through a mix of public housing properties, scattered sites, senior buildings, mixed-income residences, and various Section 8 Voucher programs; and
WHEREAS, Out of those that reported demographic data to the CHA, nearly 40% of CHA resident head of households are African-American, 36% of households have a disabled member in the home, 85% are extremely low-income, 33% are youth (ages 0-17), and 18% are seniors (62+); and
WHEREAS, Given the extensive needs of the CHA population, providing adequate security for CHA-supported properties is of paramount importance; and
WHEREAS, During conversations with the CHA, the agency has not offered a comprehensive public Safety plan for its properties, and cannot explain how they administer and implement security procedures; and
WHEREAS, This lack of security planning has led to extensive unease among CHA residents and neighbors who feel unsafe in their properties, and have been made to experience unwarranted public safety incidences due to CHA's inadequate security procedures; and
WHEREAS, This is especially prevalent at CHA Scattered Sites, where for example, at the Washington Park scattered site in the 3rd Ward, the CHA claims many ofthe problems at the property are the responsibility of the Chicago Police Department; and
WHEREAS,To make this assessment the CHAis relyingon incorrectpublic safety data which has resulted in the misallocation of CHA security manpower, and repeated public safety incidences that have negatively affected the scattered site's residents and neighbors; and
WHEREAS, It is in the City's best interest to ensure that the CHA is offering comprehensive and effective security for its properties and residents; now, therefore,
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BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago gathered here in assembly this 22nd Day of June, 2022 A.D., call for a hearing on CHA's security standards, and require that the CHA's CEO and head of security attend and testify; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, As part of their testimony, the CHA must explain how they make security decisions, describe whatdata they use to make decisions regarding security at their properties, and how and when this data is reviewed and evaluated.
Pat Dowell Aldermjan ,3rd Ward