ORDINANCE
Whereas, the City of Chicago is a home rule unit of local government under Article VII, Section 6(a) ofthe 1970 Constitution ofthe State of Illinois; and
Whereas, as a home rule unit, the City may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs, including the power to regulate for the protection ofthe public health, safety, and welfare; and
Whereas, in order to preserve the public health, safety, and welfare, it is important for the City to have a variety of safe housing available and affordable to its residents of every income group; and
Whereas, housing stability promotes stronger neighborhoods and communities, and increases public health, safety, and welfare; and
Whereas, the Pilsen Historic District has been a bastion of housing stability in Chicago since its creation in the nineteenth century by Bohemians, through the transition to being a Mexican neighborhood, where Bohemians and Mexicans worked together in the 1950s to preserve the neighborhood as "one ofthe last neighborhoods in the city for low-income families;" and
Whereas, the great architecture and community of the Pilsen neighborhood was considered significant enough to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006; and
Whereas, despite having such a strong community, a 2020 study, Addendum to the Pilsen Quality of Life Plan, by the University of Illinois at Chicago, found that an estimated 14,875 Hispanic residents left Pilsen between 2000 and 2018; and
Whereas, according to 2020 data by the Great Cities Institute, there was a 9 percent increase in home values (adjusted for inflation) above $150,000 between 2000 and 2018; and
Whereas, between 2000 and 2018, rent burdened households (defined as paying 30 percent or more of household income on rent) increased by 11.6% percent and gross rents of $1,000 and above increased by 39.7%; and
Whereas, the rapid increase in home and land values has resulted in an increase in demolitions, diminishing the character and community ofthe Pilsen Historic District as long-time residents can no longer afford to live in the neighborhood; and
Whereas, it is necessary, desirable, and in the public interest to protect the affordable housing stock in the Pilsen Historic District, such protection to include minimizing displacement of long-time residents; and
Whereas, a temporary moratorium on complete demolitions, which can lead to destabilizing the community and reducing the availability of affordable housing within the Pilsen Historic District, so that the City can evaluate data and findings on how to help preserve the affected community is a useful and important step to further the above objectives within the Pilsen Historic District; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO:
SECTION 1. Definitions.
For the purposes ofthis ordinance, the following definitions shall apply: "Pilsen Historic District" means the area in the City of Chicago bounded by, beginning at the intersection of West 16th Street and South Halsted Street, both sides of South Halsted Street south to South Cermak Road; thence west along South Cermak Road encompassing the north side of the street, to South Racine Avenue; at South Racine Avenue, thence north to West 21st Street; thence west on West 21st Street to South Laflin Street; thence south on South Laflin Street to West Cermak Road; thence west on West Cermak to South Wolcott Avenue; thence south on South Wolcott Avenue to West 23rd Street; thence west along West 23rd Street to South Damen Avenue; thence south along South Damen Avenue to West Coulter Street; thence southwest along West Coulter Street to South Oakley; thence north on South Oakley to West 24th Street; thence west along West 24th Street to South Western Avenue; thence north along South Western Avenue to West 18th Street; thence east along 18th Street to South Hoyne Avenue; thence north along West Hoyne Avenue to West 17th Street; thence east along West 17th Street to South Wolcott Avenue; thence north along South Wolcott to West 16th Street; thence east along West 16th Street to South Halsted Street.
SECTION 2. A temporary moratorium is hereby imposed on the issuance of any complete demolition permit for any application filed on or after November 1, 2020, for any building within the Pilsen Historic District. This section shall not apply to permit applications for the demolition of any building or structure that is necessary to remedy conditions imminently dangerous to life, health, or property, as determined in writing by the Commissioner of Buildings, the Commissioner of Health, the Fire Commissioner, or their respective designees.
SECTION 3. The temporary moratorium imposed by this ordinance shall be in effect until April 1, 2021.
SECTION 4. The Department of Housing shall review forthcoming findings of its Inclusionary Housing Task Force, which findings will examine housing stability and the reduction of affordable housing in the City. Following this review, the Department of Housing shall issue and publicly post online recommendations to retain and promote affordable housing in Pilsen Historic District. Such recommendations shall also take into consideration all relevant and available data from local community organizations and any stakeholder groups regarding the housing market in the Pilsen Historic District.
During the moratorium period, members ofthe City Council may submit any independent studies concerning retaining and promoting housing stability and affordable housing in the Pilsen Historic District to the Committee on Housing and Real Estate for its consideration prior to the expiration ofthis temporary moratorium. Any submitted studies shall be posted online together with the Department of Housing recommendations.
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