SUBSTITUTE ORDINANCE
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago ("City") is a home rule unit of government by virtue of the provisions of the Constitution of the State of Illinois of 1970, and as such, may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City (the "City Council") finds that the availability of affordable housing in high opportunity areas is critical to the future of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, in the last decade more than fifty companies have moved their corporate headquarters from the suburbs to the city, bringing more high-wage jobs and a workforce attracted to walkable, transit-rich, mixed-use environments; and
WHEREAS, this trend has transformed, and continues to transform, neighborhoods close to the city center and along transportation lines leading to downtown; and
WHEREAS, with increasing demand for housing near downtown, the pace of development and the value of homes in urban core neighborhoods have escalated and existing low and moderate income residents have been priced out of their communities; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that this cycle of gentrification and displacement exacerbates historic patterns of racial and economic segregation, deepens the concentration of poverty and wealth, and widens disparities in access to good schools, jobs, healthcare and other amenities; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the 2015 Affordable Requirements Ordinance, Section 2-45-115 of the Municipal Code, is insufficient to prevent displacement and broad demographic change in gentrifying neighborhoods, and that additional measures are necessary to increase production of affordable housing, protect vulnerable residents, and create neighborhoods where residents of all incomes can thrive; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that neighborhoods along the Milwaukee corridor adjacent to the CTA's Blue Line are undergoing gentrification; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that it is in the public interest to establish a Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area covering neighborhoods along this major transit corridor, which also includes neighborhoods adjacent to The 606 elevated trail, in order to test the effectiveness of modified affordable housing requirements; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Planning and Development ("DPD") classified the neighborhoods in the Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area based on their stage of gentrification using a gentrification index developed by Lisa K. Bates, Portland State University, in a report commissioned by the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, titled "Gentrification and Displacement Study: Implementing an Equitable Inclusive Development Strategy in the Context of Gentrification" (the "Gentrification Index"); and
WHEREAS, the Gentrification Index measures an area's stage of gentrification based on|1010|
three factors: the vulnerability of the population, demographic change, and housing market change; and
WHEREAS, DPD's gentrification analysis for the Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area, as depicted in the map attached hereto as Exhibit A, shows that the pilot area is characterized primarily by ongoing displacement (as further defined below); and
WHEREAS, this Milwaukee Corridor ARO Pilot Area Ordinance is intended to promote equitable neighborhood development, increase housing choice for residents of all income levels, minimize displacement of long-term residents from gentrifying neighborhoods in the Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area, and address disparities in social and economic outcomes for the residents of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, DPD wishes to issue one or more requests for proposals in connection with the administration of this ordinance in order to ensure that the affordable units created hereunder are effectively marketed and provided to the target populations intended to benefit from such units and to assist vulnerable residents within the Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area gain access to affordable housing; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO:
SECTION 1. The foregoing recitals are hereby adopted as the findings of the City Council.
SECTION 2. Chapter 2-45 of the Municipal Code of Chicago is hereby amended by adding a new Section 2-45-119, as follows:
2-45-119 Milwaukee Corridor affordable housing pilot area.
Title. This section shall be known and cited as the "Milwaukee Corridor ARO Pilot Area Ordinance."
Purpose. The purpose of this section is to establish modified affordable housing requirements for designated neighborhoods along the Milwaukee corridor adjacent to the CTA's Blue Line that are experiencing gentrification. The goals of these modified requirements are to mitigate the displacement impacts associated with gentrification, better protect the interests of the area's economically vulnerable residents from demographic and housing market change, and preserve the economic diversity critical to a healthy economy.
Relationship to 2015 ARO. The requirements in this section supplement or modify the affordable housing requirements in Sec. 2-45-115. In the event of a conflict between these requirements and the requirements in Sec. 2-45-115, the requirements in this section will control; provided, however, when a residential housing project receives financial assistance from TIF Funds, the requirements set forth in Sec. 2-45-115 will continue to apply and will control in the event of a conflict, except with respect to the location requirements set forth herein.
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Definitions. Except as provided below, defined terms shall have the meanings given in Sec. 2-45-115.
"Additional units" means the extra units required to be affordable under this section in excess of the units required to be affordable under Sec. 2-45-115.
"Affordable unit" means a housing unit required by this section to be affordable, whether located on-site or off-site and whether a rental unit or an owner-occupied unit.
"Appreciated" is a term used to describe a census tract that (i) had low to moderate home values in 2000 (i.e., a median home value in the bottom three quintiles of all census tracts in the city), and (ii) high home values in 2015 (i.e., a median home value in the top two quintiles of all census tracts in the city), and (iii) experienced a high appreciation rate between 2000 and 2015 (i.e., appreciation rate in the top two quintiles of all census tracts in the city).
"Demographic change" means a shift in the demographic conditions of an area in which at least three of the following four population changes have occurred from 2010 to 2015, relative to the citywide median: percentage of homeowners has increased; percentage of minorities (as defined in Sec. 2-92-670) has decreased; percentage of residents with a bachelor's degree or higher has increased; and median household income has increased.
"Ongoing displacement" is a term used to classify census tracts that are in the midst of gentrification. These census tracts (i) no longer have a vulnerable population, (ii) have undergone demographic change indicative of gentrification, and (iii) have an appreciated market condition, as determined by the commissioner based upon published data regarding Chicago or area median income, the cost of housing, or other data indicative of gentrification or loss of affordable housing.
"Vulnerable population" means a population with at least three of the following four characteristics based on 2015 data: percentage of renters is higher than the citywide median; percentage of minorities (as defined in Sec. 2-92-670) is higher than the citywide median; percentage of residents without a bachelor's degree is higher than the citywide median; and median household income is lower than the citywide median.
Boundaries. A map of the Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area is published in Coun. J.
10-5-17, p. , and on file in the office of the city clerk and made a part hereof. The
boundary lines of the Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area follow streets, and such boundary lines are to be construed as the center lines of said streets.
Stage of displacement. The Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area is characterized primarily by ongoing displacement.
Modified ARO requirements. The requirements of Sec. 2-45-115 shall apply in the Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area, except as modified below:
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No in lieu fee option. The option to pay a fee in lieu of the establishment of affordable units is eliminated in the Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area.
Required percentage of affordable units. The percentage of units required to be affordable in a residential housing project in the Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area, whether rental or for-sale, is increased from 10% to 15% if all of the affordable units are provided on-site or 20% if any affordable units are provided off-site. Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever the city provides financial assistance, the percentage of units required to be affordable remains 20% in accordance with subsection (C)(3) of Sec. 2-45-115.
(3) Affordability standards and income eligibility criteria for rental units.
Affordable rental units in the Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area may be leased to households earning up to eighty percent (80%) of the area median income, but must be affordable to households earning up to sixty percent (60%) of the area median income.
(4) Location requirements. If the developer elects to provide affordable
units in an off-site location and the commissioner approves the developer's off-site
proposal under subsection (V) of Sec. 2-45-115, the off-site units must be located within
the Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area. Such off-site units may be located anywhere in the
Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area, regardless of distance from the residential housing
project or income area in which the residential housing project is located.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, when a residential housing project receives financial
assistance from TIF Funds, all affordable units must be provided on-site.
(H) Pending Applications. This section shall apply to all residential housing projects
subject to the affordable housing requirements of Sec. 2-45-115, unless: (1) an ordinance
authorizing a city land sale or financial assistance, as described in Sec. 2-45-115(C), has been
introduced to city council prior to November 1, 2017; or (2) an ordinance authorizing a rezoning
of property, as described in Sec. 2-45-115(C), has been introduced to city council and (i) in the
case of projects that are subject to planned development review, the Chicago Plan Commission
has adopted a resolution recommending approval of the planned development prior to
November 1, 2017, or (ii) in the case of any other rezoning of property, the Committee on
Zoning, Landmarks and Buildings Standards has voted to approve the rezoning prior to
November 1, 2017.
(I) Rules and Regulations. The commissioner is authorized to adopt such rules
and regulations as the commissioner may deem necessary for the proper implementation,
administration and enforcement of this section. The commissioner shall provide an annual
report to the City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate detailing the outcomes of the
pilot program.
(J) Commissioner's authority to enter into service agreements for marketing, income qualification and other services. In furtherance of administering this section, the commissioner shall have the authority to enter into service agreements with outside providers selected by the commissioner to market affordable housing created hereunder and pursuant to other city programs to residents of the Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area, assist developers of|1010|
residential housing projects in the Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area with income qualification of tenants and purchasers of affordable units created hereunder, conduct educational programs for residents of the Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area regarding the purchase or lease of affordable housing, provide counseling and disseminate information regarding eligibility for affordable housing to residents of the Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area, and provide other services to ensure that the affordable units created hereunder are effectively marketed and provided to the target populations intended to benefit from such affordable units. Such service agreements may contain terms and conditions that the commissioner deems appropriate, and the commissioner shall have the authority to perform any and all acts as shall be necessary or advisable in connection with such service agreements and any renewals thereto, including the expenditure of Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund monies, or other duly appropriated funds, for such agreements.
SECTION 3. To the extent that any ordinance, resolution, rule, order or provision of the Municipal Code of Chicago, or any portion thereof, is in conflict with any provision of this ordinance, the provisions of this ordinance shall control. The provisions of this ordinance are declared to be separate and severable. The invalidity of any provision of this ordinance, or the invalidity of the application thereof to any person or circumstance, shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this ordinance, or the validity of its application to other persons or circumstances.
SECTION 4. This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its passage and approval, and shall remain in effect for a period of three years or until December 31, 2020, whichever is later, at the conclusion of which it shall be repealed of its own accord. During the effective period of this ordinance, the City Council may evaluate the efficacy of the modified affordable housing requirements.
Attachments: Exhibit A - Depiction of Milwaukee Corridor Pilot Area
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EXHIBIT A
DEPICTION OF MILWAUKEE CORRIDOR PILOT AREA
(ATTACHED)
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I
JOSEPH A. MOORE
Alderman, 49th Ward 7356 North GreenviewAvenue Chicago, Illinois 60626 telephone 773-338-5796 ward49@cityofchicago org www.ward49 com
CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF CHICAGO COUNCIL CHAMBER
City Hall. Room 200 121 North LaSalle Street Chicago. Illinois 60602 Telephone 312-744-3067
COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS
HOUSING AND REAL ESTATE
Chairman
Budget and Government Operations
Committees, Rules and Ethics
Education and Child Development
Finance
Health and Environmental Protection
Human Relations
Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation
October 10, 2017
To the President and Members of the City Council:
Your Committee on Housing and Real Estate, for which a meeting was held on September 25, 2017, having had under consideration the substitute ordinance introduced by Mayor Rahm Emanuel on September 25, 2017, this being the amendment of Municipal Code 2-45 regarding the Affordable Requirements Ordinance for the Milwaukee Corridor ARO Pilot, begs leave to recommend that Your Honorable Body Approve said ordinance transmitted herewith.
This recommendation was concurred in by a voice vote of all committee members present with no dissenting votes.
Joseph A. Moore, Chairman ittee on Housing and Real Estate
Respectfully submitted,