ABC7: Chicago City Council approves putting Bring Chicago Home referendum on March 2024 ballot

Posted on by Ella Weaver
Bring Chicago Home campaign supporters hold a banner reading "Bring Chicago Home" in front of a crowd.

By Karen Jordan (ABC7), November 7, 2023

Tuesday, the Chicago City Council approved a binding referendum, called Bring Chicago Home, which will appear on the March 2024 ballot. Voters will decide whether to authorize city council members to raise the real estate transfer tax on high-end property sales to fight homelessness. The referendum was championed by North Side 49th Ward Ald. Maria Hadden.

“We really rely on federal support and funding, things that come direct from federal government or the state. It’s been woefully insufficient for years,” she said.

The referendum pits the real estate industry against those who say an increase to the city’s real estate transfer tax is the best way to pour hundreds of millions of dollars into programs to address homelessness.

Chicago Coalition for the Homeless is a proud BCH coalition member.

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Chicago City Council approves 2024 budget with marginal increases to tackle homelessness crisis 

Posted on by Ella Weaver
Bring Chicago Home campaign supporters hold a banner reading "Bring Chicago Home" in front of a crowd.

By Sam Paler-Ponce 

November 20, 2023 

Chicago’s City Council greenlit the 2024 budget, allocating additional resources to respond to the city’s growing homelessness crisis. While the approved budget reveals targeted increases in critical services, much more is needed than these small increases subject to annual appropriations.

Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) estimates 68,440 Chicagoans experiencing homelessness at the beginning of 2022, the most recent data available. This reflects a 2,829-person increase from the previous year—up 4.30 percent. This estimate is inclusive of more than 44,000 Chicagoans doubling up. 

While we are happy to see that some line items are growing—by about 15-percent in total, or a $7 million increase—much more is needed than these small incremental increases subject to annual appropriations. Let’s dive into the key aspects of this budget and understand where the city’s resources are allocated. 

Continue reading Chicago City Council approves 2024 budget with marginal increases to tackle homelessness crisis 

Celebrating Julie Dworkin, A Champion for Homelessness Advocacy 

Posted on by Erin Sindewald

By Sam Paler-Ponce and Mary Tarullo

Twenty-seven years at the same organization is an incredible achievement and Julie Dworkin, Director of Policy at Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, is understandably ready to take on new challenges. She has announced her last day will be November 3.  

Julie is recognized locally and nationally as a committed and tireless advocate and policy expert. She stands out for her unwavering dedication and resilience. Her efforts have made a profound impact in addressing Chicago and Illinois homelessness and housing issues. 

Over the years, Julie played both a contributing and leadership role in a wide range of important policy and budgetary changes at both the city and state level. Below is just a sampling of efforts that Julie lent her presence and voice to. 

Continue reading Celebrating Julie Dworkin, A Champion for Homelessness Advocacy 

Victory Celebration Recap 2022

Posted on by Vanessa Álvarez

We thank all the attendees and recipients who joined us on December 8th for our Annual Victory Celebration. To commemorate this event we have put together a photo gallery to share with family and friends the successes and joy we have built together this year.

This year’s winners were:

  • Honorable State Representative Will Guzzardi for his legislative advocacy supporting people experiencing homelessness in Illinois
  • Honorable State Representative Lakesia Collins for her legislative advocacy supporting the expansion of early learning opportunities for families in care
  • Start Early- Illinois Policy Team for their advocacy in expanding early learning and supportive services for families and their children
  • Commissioner Marisa Novara and Commissioner Brandie Knazze for their leadership in providing housing for households living doubled-up
  • Deb Dempsey, Kane County, Regional Office of Education, for her advocacy on behalf of students experiencing homelessness
  • Bob Palmer, of Housing Action Illinois, Les Brown Award for Excellence in Public Policy
  • Research Advisory Board Members Heartland Alliance’s Social IMPACT Research Center in recognition of the creation and development of  the TANF Research Project
a crowd of people sit in seats in a large open room. The walls behind them are white with blue accents. Some wear masks.
The crowd sitting in wait
A Doug Schenkelberg, CCH's E.D. dressed in a dark blue sweater stands in front of a projector speaking into a microphone to the audience
Doug Schenkelberg
Between the crowd stands a women at the front of the room, holding a paper and speaking into a microphone.
Crowd watching Julie Dworkin speak
a man on the left receives a microphone and an award from another gentleman center. At right a women with long red hair congratulates him.
Jim Picchetti awards Bob Palmer
Three women stand in front of a white wall with blue accents, the left most holds a mic, and the two on the right hold glass plaques.
Julie Dworkin, Commissioner Maria Novara, and Commissioner Brandie Knazze
A women in a floral dress speaks into a mic on the left, as a women in a black suit watches her on the right.
Commissioner Marisa Novara and Commissioner Brandie Knazze
Two women stand in front of a white wall with blue accents. The one on the left is in a light purple suit jacket and holds a mic, the one to the right is in a yellow dress and hold a glass plaque.
Representative Lakesia Collins and Niya Kelly
A speaker stands in front of a white wall with blue accents holding a mic in one hand and a paper in the other, she wears a purple tie dye sweater.
Marketta Sims reading a Poem
A speaker stands in front of a white projector screen, holding a mic and a paper. She wears a jean jacket with white fur trim.
Juanita Rogers reading a Poem
Two women stand in front of a white projector, both holding glass plaques.
Maxica Williams and Ms. Betty hold their glass plaques
A women at center smiles while holding a glass plaque and microphone. Behind her people stand in celebration.
Edrika Fulford’s Daughter
A women stands in front of a white wall with blue accents, she wears a purple shirt with a portrait on it, and smiles as she speaks into the mic.
TANF Honoree
Three women stand center, the left most holds a glass plaque, the middle holds a glass plaque and a microphone and looks up to the sky, and the right most holds her friends arm in support.
Taishi Neuman looks up as other TANF Team members stand around her.
Honorable Representative Will Guzzardi and Gloria Davis (CCH)
Deb Dempsey
Bob Palmer, Housing Action Illinois
Commissioner Brandie Knazze
Commissioner Marisa Novara 
Juanita Rogers
Attendees
Representative Lakesia Collins and Representative Will Guzzardi
Commissioner Brandie Knazze with attendees
Attendees
13 people stand in front of a white wall with blue accents. They are smiling and some wear masks.
TANF Honorees

As we end 2022 Victory Celebration and enter 2023 we look forward to our collaboration with the community working to ensure housing is accessible to everyone. Addressing homelessness has many layers and together we will continue to be tenacious to make housing a human right. 

LawNDale – Giving Tuesday

Posted on by Vanessa Álvarez

By Ashmar Mandou, November 23, 2022

On a sand textured background the words #GivingTuesday sit in blue and black, across the top of the image are dried flowers, nuts, and star anise.

Giving Tuesday is a global movement that inspires people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. This Tuesday, November 29, people all over the world are encouraged to donate their time, money, and/or voice to an organization that makes a difference in their community. Celebrate this holiday season with the gift of giving to a few wonderful Chicago organizations around the city. We compiled a few non-profits to help get your #GivingTuesday started.

Continue reading LawNDale – Giving Tuesday

The Crusader – Advocates want to make sure children living in extreme poverty receive their child support payments

Posted on by Vanessa Álvarez

By  Crusader Staff, November 23, 2022

$100 bills are scattered in the background and in plastic toy letters atop them it reads "Child Support" at the top of the frame is a wooden gavel.

A new, animated video released last week by anti-poverty advocates starts with “You would think that child support goes toward supporting children, right? But families in Illinois who need the most help are getting just a fraction of child support payments.”

Continue reading The Crusader – Advocates want to make sure children living in extreme poverty receive their child support payments

WVON-TANF & Anti-Poverty Experts

Posted on by Vanessa Álvarez

November 22, 2022

You would think the child support goes toward supporting children, right? But families in Illinois who need the most help are getting just a fraction of child support payments. And really when you look at the numbers, they’re saying families who live in extreme poverty, who received 10% of which is temporary assistance for needy families, have child support collected from there non custodial parents only to have most of that money go to the state of Illinois. 

Continue reading WVON-TANF & Anti-Poverty Experts

Chicago Sun Times-West Loop homeless on edge as city threatens to discard donated tents

Posted on by Vanessa Álvarez

By Michael Loria, November 3, 2022

A man in a black jacket and hat stands beside a large orange square tent, behind him 2 more of the same type are in the distance, they all sit below a bridge.

Willie Parker woke up braced for action Thursday morning.

The 66-year-old lives in a tent in the West Loop. The week before, he found a sticker attached to it that seemed to indicate that if it wasn’t cleared that morning, it would be removed by the city.

“We’re waiting for the city to come with a wrecking crew and come and confiscate the tents,” Parker said.

 

Continue reading Chicago Sun Times-West Loop homeless on edge as city threatens to discard donated tents

Chicago Sun Times-Humboldt Park family’s home transformed: ‘I feel happy’

Posted on by Vanessa Álvarez

By Michael Loria, October 7, 2022

Three kids stand in a bedroom beside a brown dresser and a blue bed with a basketball on it. A mother stands in the doorway, her hand to her face bearing a huge smile.

Chicago nonprofit Humble Design fully furnished and customized the four-bedroom house within hours. 

The house Lana Purnell and her three children left Friday morning wasn’t the same when they retuned in the early afternoon.

Continue reading Chicago Sun Times-Humboldt Park family’s home transformed: ‘I feel happy’

WTTW – New Report Offers Look into Homelessness in Chicago

Posted on by Vanessa Álvarez

October 5, 2022

A recent report by the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless found that at least 65,000 people were experiencing homelessness in the city in 2020, which includes those who temporarily stayed with others in addition to people living in shelters and on the street.

Continue reading WTTW – New Report Offers Look into Homelessness in Chicago