Affordable housing ordinance heads to city council amid concerns over Obama Center impact

CHICAGO – Community activists have been working for over a decade to protect affordable housing on Chicago’s South Side.

Now, a proposed ordinance aimed at safeguarding residents in neighborhoods surrounding the Obama Presidential Center is headed to the full city council for a vote.

What we know:

The Obama Presidential Center, currently under construction, is expected to be a major cultural and community hub. While the development brings promise, it also raises concerns about rising property values and housing costs in an area where roughly 75% of residents are renters — many of whom are already facing financial hardship.

The proposed ordinance includes provisions to reserve vacant lots for affordable housing and requires landlords to give tenants more advance notice before eviction. It would also provide $5,000 grants to help long-time residents cover property taxes and avoid displacement.

The Obama Community Benefits Agreement Coalition supports the measure.

What they’re saying:

Linda Jennings, who has lived in the South Shore neighborhood for 67 years, is particularly concerned about its impact on seniors.

“South Shore has the highest eviction rate amongst the elderly of any section in the city,” she said. “We’re being impacted because we need repairs.”

Kiara Hardin, a former South Shore resident, said she was priced out of the neighborhood — even with $150,000 to invest in a home.

“We need things for renters,” she said. “I’ve been a renter most of my life. We need affordability, we need development on those vacant lots.”

What’s next:

South Side residents say housing prices have already begun to rise — and the Obama Center won’t even be completed for another year.

It took two years for the ordinance to make it out of committee and reach the full council.