In its April 10th meeting, the City Council directed $3.5 million in TIF funds to Sarah's Circle to build new supporting housing at the corner of Sheridan and Leland. The new shelter will be owned by the organization and will take the place of space it currently rents in the ICA Greenrise building at 4750 North Sheridan.
Its funding will come from a combination of the $3.5 million TIF money; a $14 million grant from a private donor who wishes to remain anonymous; and the remainder from individuals and foundations.
According to Crain's Chicago Business, the groundbreaking will be in June, with a projected opening date in 2020.
On its website, Sarah's Circle thanks "Alderman James Cappleman of the 46th Ward; Perkins + Will; Brinshore Development; and Mayer Brown" for their assistance.
The city made the following announcement in its notes from the City Council meeting:
"TIF Will Enable 38-Unit Supportive Housing Development in Uptown
A 38-unit supportive housing facility will be built in Uptown through $3.5 million Tax Increment Financing (TIF) assistance approved today by City Council.
Planned for the southwest corner of Sheridan Road and Leland Avenue by Sarah’s on Sheridan LLC, the $17.5 million project will be affordable for tenants earning up to 60 percent of area median income. Each unit will also receive a rental subsidy from the Chicago Housing Authority.
The six-story building will include dining and laundry facilities, a computer lab and on-site social service resources. The facility will also include a 50-bed interim housing shelter that will provide temporary housing, food, and other basic supportive services for people in need."
Our friendly neighborhood social justice warriors like to claim Capp hates the poor, homeless etc yet with the exception of the Uptown Theater has he pushed for any development in the ward harder than this?
ReplyDeleteEmotionally he seems to be more involved with this than anything. That speaks to his background as a social worker, monk, teacher etc and who he is as a person.
This likely even cost him more than a few votes and as we saw that could have made a difference. Some folks living near there were in Uptown NIMBY mode. Yet he stood up to them and this will be opened next year helping hundreds of women a year after most of those NIMBYS have moved on to other neighborhoods or shuffled off this mortal coil.
This is the guy who HATES the poor and homeless? Shit.
You wanna know what he hates? Besides Illinois Nazis? He likely hates or at least despises the futility of social service organizations who refuse to use "best practices" in trying to help the poor.
That very phrase "best practices" promotes spasms of fear in social service agencies or any organization really. It means trying to find and do things that work and that means change and most people aren't comfortable with change.
Oh well if Cappleman retires in four years after winning this prolonged election he can look back proudly on the work he's done particularly with this building and the thousands of women it will help over the coming generations.
I've heard many lies told about the Capplemaniac over the last 12 years, but this more than anything shows how it's all just that--lies.
KAPOW!
For me the jury is out pending the alderman's future and long-term commitments. When I contacted the alderman for advice and, at a later point, for emergency help with a homeless community member, I never even received a reply. Fortunately Uptown-based experts from Heartland, Cornerstone, Salvation Army, and Sarah's Circle all helped me to get this woman on the central register and to try to sort out options. Though that proved an unendurably long path to housing, they taught me a lot about best options going forward given the lack of housing. I know that we all make mistakes and no ward office is perfect, but the complete lack of response from the alderman's office has long sat wrong with me.
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