Rally Against Alderman Joe Moreno and Luxury Development May 21
Organizers say, “Our Neighborhood is NOT For Sale / El Barrio NO Se Vende”
Families and working/middle class residents of Logan Square, Humboldt Park and Albany Park will unite this Saturday for a rally and march to let First Ward Alderman Joe Moreno and luxury housing developers in the area know that enough is enough. Our neighborhoods are not for sale, and we will no longer tolerate the economic displacement of thousands of Chicago citizens and the unethical behavior of our elected officials.
Logan Square alone has seen over 19,000 Latino residents displaced over the last 10 years due to gentrification and a focus on luxury housing disguised as transit oriented development. Long-term residents have seen rents skyrocket as developers evict tenants and erect luxury apartment complexes, such as the Twin Towers and “L” projects on Milwaukee Ave., with rents ranging from $1500/month for studios to $3,900/month for a three-bedroom.
Fueling rampant luxury development in the first district is Alderman Joe Moreno, who has, as quickly and quietly as possible, pushed for unprecedented zoning changes, while accepting campaign donations from real estate developers with projects in the district. Twin Towers developer Bob Buono and his associates alone have made more than $20,000 in Moreno campaign contributions.
Somos Logan Square has spent over a year campaigning to maintain and generate new affordable housing within the first district and neighboring districts. Alderman Joe Moreno has refused to meet with us, and the luxury developers we have met with refuse to consider increasing the number of affordable units in their developments.
However, the past year has also seen a large increase in our organization’s membership and a variety of collaborations with local progressive organizations. Now joined by Centro Autónomo and Grassroots Illinois Action, we’ve co-organized the “El Barrio No Se Vende” movement so that our elected officials and the developers who are cashing in on displacement, segregation and homelessness hear our demands:
Speakers: Ethos (Poet & Activist), Andy Thayer (Uptown Uprising), Tenants from Logan Square, Humboldt Park and Albany Park
Organizers: Somos Logan Square, Centro Autónomo and Grassroots Illinois Action
When: Saturday, May 21, 2016 at 11:15am – 1:00pm
Where: Start Alderman Joe Moreno’s Office at 2740 W. North Ave., march down California Ave. to the Twin Towers development at 2923 N. Milwaukee
1. 30% TRULY affordable units in luxury development currently under construction. Truly affordable rents mean 30% of Area Median Income (affordable to families making $25,000/ year)
2. A moratorium on rezoning for new luxury developments until we can establish policy for truly equitable development in our community.
3. Use of the Chicago Housing Authority’s surplus for Project Based Vouchers to get more affordable units in luxury developments.
