Return to [remote or in person] Committee on Finance
Live reporting by Maureen Dunne
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Alders signed off on refinancing the redevelopment of Laramie State Bank in Austin, committing nearly $30 million in additional city funds, including Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and low-income housing tax credits.

Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 2/20
@CHIdocumenters 🎃1: Today we'll hear matters from: - Dept. of Housing: financial assistance & ownership transfers of housing developments - Dept. of Planning & Development: TIFs and special project approval - Dept. of Law: recent verdicts & settlements w people who've sued the city
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 3/20
@CHIdocumenters 🎃2: Chair Pat Dowell calls the meeting to order at 10:09 a.m. and quorum is established with 18 members present. Public comment begins with George Blakemore who expresses distaste for using TIF dollars on schools & that he's the only public speaker for this meeting
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 4/20
@CHIdocumenters 🎃3: The committee approves an amendment to revise a Dept of Housing & Urban Development loan for Imani Village senior apartments in the 8th ward. Alders question what the project payment plan would be if interests rates continue to increase imanivillage.com
imanivillage.com
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 5/20
@CHIdocumenters 🎃4: The council next approves the restructuring of some of the funding plan for the Darul Amaan apartments in the 33rd Ward. chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…
chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 6/20
@CHIdocumenters 🎃5: The committee hears a proposal to grant financial assistance to the Austin United Alliance-Residential project which would bring 76 affordable housing units to an empty, city-owned lot on Chicago Ave. in the 37th ward and an old bank building austinunitedalliance.org/the-development
austinunitedalliance.org/the-development
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 7/20
@CHIdocumenters 🎃6: Ald. Mitts and Athena Williams, director of the Oak Park regional housing center speak in support of this project. the motion passes and will be reported out at the next City Council meeting
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 8/20
@CHIdocumenters 🎃7: The committee now moves onto the Department of Planning and Development. William Grams, a financial planning analyst, presents a proposal to advance the United Yards project in 20th ward New City.
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 9/20
@CHIdocumenters 🎃8: The proposal would renovate the first floor of the former Goldblatt's Department store for permanent space for minority-owned small businesses. If approved, the project would utilize $5 million in TIF funds
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 10/20
@CHIdocumenters 🎃9: The plan moves through committee to the next City Council meeting.
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 11/20
@CHIdocumenters 🎃10: The next matter regards establishing an intergovernmental agreement with CPS to provide TIF funds for full chiller plant and system replacement (air conditioning) at Roberto Clemente Community Academy High School in West Town/Humbolt Park
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 12/20
@CHIdocumenters 🎃11: Ald LeSpata speaks in support of the proposal, saying that the school has had many problems with their HVAC system. The motion passes to full City Council
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 13/20
@CHIdocumenters 🎃11: The next matter involves an IGA with the Board of Education to provide TIF funds to replace 39th Ward Von Steuben High School's fire alarm system. It costs $2.5 million to replace the entire system. The motion passes.
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 14/20
@CHIdocumenters 🎃12: The committee approves an IGA with the CBOE to allot TIF funding for replacing the roof, masonry repair and building a new playground at Irvin C. Mollison Elementary School in Grand Boulevard The project is slated for completion in 2026
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 15/20
@CHIdocumenters 🎃13: The committee next hears proposals to extend the TIF districts below for another 12 years. Otherwise, they would expire at the end of this year.
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 16/20
🎃14: The TIF extensions pass onto city council in an omnibus.
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 17/20
🎃15: The commitee moves to place these items in the omnibus for full council as well -- allowing the Ronald McDonald House and Planned Parenthood to solicit donations on the public way.
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 18/20
🎃16: The last item of the day is from the Department of Law: a $200,000 settlement for a woman and her granddaughter hit by a police car during a car chase of another driver. The driver the police were pursuing died upon collision with a lightpost.
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 19/20
🎃17: Michelle Ewing, the plaintiff, spent 3 days in the hospital and underwent surgery due to the accident aggravating her pre-existing conditions. Alder. Quinn says to be recorded as a No vote to the settlement. The item is approved anyway and moves on to the full council.
Mo Dunne @rolllingwaves 20/20
🎃18/18: The meeting adjourns at 11:50 a.m. Follow @CHIdocumenters for more coverage and Happy Halloween! 🦇 (I realize now I have two # 11s in this thread... oops)