Newsletter | November 2023
Image by Anonymous Safsafi for JustSeeds Artists' Cooperative
Read on below for updates on tenants unions new and old, Bring Chicago Home, and our upcoming holiday party on December 9th.
ATU stands with all peoples fighting for liberation, including the Palestinian people. The seizure and colonization of land, in the United States, in Palestine, and across the globe, has always been a primary tool for oppressors to multiply their power, hoard wealth, and manufacture scarcity. We recognize that violence comes in many forms and that restricting clean water and displacing people from their communities are violent acts. We stand against oppression and the displacement of indigenous land, languages, and communities.
For local ways to get involved, we recommend following US Palestinian Community Network and Jewish Voices for Peace Chicago. For accurate reporting on Palestine, we recommend* following Al Jazeera, Quds News Network, @eye.on.palestine, @wizard_bisan1, @ahmedhijazee, @motaz_azaiza, @hindkhoudary, @byplestia, and @sbeih.jpg.
*Reporting recommendations from the StopShotSpotter campaign.
Fair Tenants Union
After months of being shut out of hearings for the 72 City lawsuits against Northwest Chicago slumlord Gary Carlson, FTU held their own community hearing to share their experiences and elevate their demands of proper maintenance attention.
The lawsuit process excludes tenant voices and presiding judge Leonard Murray of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Housing Court shows blatant disregard for basic court decorum and tenants. FTU has been attempting for months to secure a ruling on their petition to intervene, allowing them to participate in the lawsuit. Instead, the City and Carlson are quietly reaching a settlement that is expected to have minimal curtailments on Carlson’s power. Last month, FTU & allies attempted to pack the Zoom court to show the City and Judge Murray the magnitude of community and tenant support. Judge Murray ended the hearing after three minutes.
Without possibility of legal recourse, FTU held their own community hearing and demand reasonable maintenance hours (currently Carlson only takes calls from tenants of his 80+ buildings, for any reason, between the hours of 8AM and 8:30AM Monday to Thursday), an emergency line, and to address all outstanding and future maintenance issues.
Carlson said he would participate in the trial but ended up cancelling 13 minutes before the start of the trial. A packed room heard moving tenant testimony and even neighbors and representatives of elected officials shared stories of what a nightmare it has been to deal with him.
Sign the new petition supporting FTU's maintenance demands and their request for these demands to be prioritized in the City's settlement with Gary Carlson. Read Block Club Chicago's article on the hearing and the demands. The Chicago Sun-Times article is here.
Eastwood Spaulding Tenants Union
The residents of an apartment building in Albany Park have formed a new tenants union to address longstanding maintenance issues and fight against the eviction of two longtime tenants! ESTU recently went to the offices of Realty & Mortgage Co. to deliver a list of all the maintenance issues in their building that are in violation of the Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance. They were able to present their demands directly to the co-president and subsequently have been getting much more prompt follow-up on issues. To find out how to write your own rent repair letter, see our letter template guide.
Tenants Roger & Betty are fighting an unjust eviction after over a decade of living in unsafe conditions and being ignored by the property management. The union is rallying behind them and eight community organizations and two aldermen have written letters of support. Stay tuned for how to support Roger & Betty in their fight.
Bring Chicago Home
On Tuesday, November 7th, City Council voted 32-17 to approve a resolution aimed at adjusting the real estate transfer tax to fund measures combating homelessness, referred to as the Bring Chicago Home ordinance. This marks an important step in a long-standing effort by the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and community supporters to get the ordinance in front City Council.
Bring Chicago Home seeks to restructure the Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT)–a one-time tax imposed on sale of property–by increasing the tax rate on portions of property valued above $1 million. The proposal also includes a tax cut on properties valued under the $1 million threshold. According to the Bring Chicago Home campaign website, almost 95% of properties would see a decrease in tax rate, while 4.2% of properties would see an increase. Chicago residents will have a chance to vote on the proposal in a referendum next spring on the March 19th ballot.
The tax increase will directly fund homelessness prevention efforts, including affordable housing and assistance for children, veterans, and those fleeing gender-based violence.
You can read more about Bring Chicago Home on the campaign website.
Upcoming ATU Events
The ATU Holiday Party will be on December 9th from 4 to 6pm at Christ Lutheran Church (3253 W Wilson Ave)!
We'll take this time to get into a festive spirit, enjoy food and drink, and get a chance to have some fun with ATU folks, old and new! All ages welcome and we will have some activities for the little ones. Hope you can make it! You can read the ATU COVID policy here.
