MEMBERS OF
Poor People's
Economic Human
Rights Campaign
DeKalb
Alliance
for
Economic Human Rights
LINC (Low Income Networking and Communications) Project
Email
us!
vip_people@yahoo.com
VIP
People
c/o Vincent
Gervais
217 South
2nd Street #283
DeKalb,
IL 60115
815-758-3479
BLOCK GRANT CONSOLIDATED PLAN
PROGRAM YEARS 2000-2004
Presented by members of the
DEKALB COUNTY ALLIANCE FOR
ECONOMIC HUMAN RIGHTS
PART II
COMMENTS ON ACQUISITION,
DEMOLITION
AND THE GUARANTEE OF REPLACEMENT
HOUSING
drafted and presented by
Christine Orland
It is our understanding that the Community Development Block Grant regulations lock spending into set budget lines in such a way that funds are not transferable from one proposed project area to another. We are concerned with the allocation of $125,000 to acquisition and demolition of properties. This figure represents the largest proportion of the budget for Program Year 7, as it has in years past. This institutionalization of funds exacerbates the already problematic shortage of affordable housing in our community simply because we don't replace it.
In examining the history of the Short Street Development Project we find a cumulative price tag of over one million dollars paid for a project that demolished 33 units of affordable housing. Only after the fact did the City consider tentative plans to replace that housing with a maximum of six mixed-income units. We believe that this proposed $125,000 represents just the tip of the iceberg in terms of potential CDBG spending on acquisition and demolition, with no concrete plans for replacement housing. Our concern is that program allocation for acquisition and demolition serves only to reduce the already small stock of affordable housing. We respectfully request guaranteed replacement of demolished housing stock from the start of the City's project planning process.
We believe that the affordable housing crisis in DeKalb reflects an Issue of Survival for the poor citizens and low wage workers in our community. While the urgent and immediate housing needs of DeKalb's citizens are recognized in the 5-Year Plan, these needs are not substantively addressed in the budget proposal. Tearing down housing with no concrete and guaranteed plans for replacement risks increasing the problem rather than ameliorating it. This threatens the well-being of families and children in our community.
We therefore urge the City of DeKalb to guarantee replacement housing prior to beginning demolition projects by securing plans and contracts with area developers committed to building affordable housing for both renters and potential homeowners. To that end, we recommend that the City of DeKalb initiate this process by donating the Short Street Project land to Habitat for Humanity, and work together with them in a collaborative effort to meet the urgent housing needs of our community.
Return to
Table of Contents
Go to Part I
COMMENTS ON A
GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE PLAN
Go to Part II
COMMENTS
ON ACQUISITION, DEMOLITION AND
THE GUARANTEE
OF REPLACEMENT HOUSING
Go to Part III
COMMENTS
ON READING AND RESEARCH PROCESSES
Go to Part IV COMMENTS
ON THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN HOUSING
POLICY, SUSTAINABLE
WAGES & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Go toPart V
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
March 16, 2000:
VIP People and DeKalb CAEHRs
complete letter writing campaign assisting in the Call
to Action.
February 14 2000:
VIP People and DeKalb Alliance
present comments
on CDBG Consolidated Plan regarding housing issues in the city of
DeKalb .
February 2-8 2000:
VIP People attend the EHRC
Planning Meeting.
November 12-14 1999:
VIP People co-sponsored
the
Poverty
& Community Organizing: DeKalb Conference on Economic Human Rights
October 1999:
Participated in the
March
of the Americas
October 28, 1999:
VIP People protested
in solidarity with the
Chicago
Coalition to
Protect
Public Housing
March
on City Hall