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

Mayor, Alderman and Council Members, at this time I would like to sum up the points presented before you tonight. The DeKalb Alliance for Economic Human Rights respectfully requests your consideration of the following concerns, suggestions and recommendations:

· We encourage the City of DeKalb to develop a detailed plan regarding the proposed goal for building two hundred units of affordable housing and include it in the CDBG Consolidated Plan.

· We recommend that the City develop an education program for both landlords and rental residents regarding rehabilitation programs sponsored through the CDBG. This program should be structured in such a way that landlords will want to participate and citizens will know what programs are available and how to take advantage of them.

· We request guaranteed plans for replacement housing be incorporated into redevelopment projects before demolition occurs, and call for a more detailed and effective utilization of acquisition and demolition program funds.

· We encourage the City of DeKalb to donate the land from the Short Street Redevelopment Project to Habitat for Humanity and work together with them to develop affordable housing at that site.

· We request that the City allow more time for citizen review, input and comments in the CDBG proposal process. We question why there was not enough time to schedule a formal first and second reading of the Consolidated Plan Proposal.

· We encourage the city to develop a more formal research process when gathering information and citizen input for CDBG Plan Proposals. Further, we request that inconsistent statistical information in the current CDBG Consolidated Plan Proposal be reviewed and revised.

· We request that the City of DeKalb aggressively seek solutions to end, not manage, affordable housing problems in our community.

· We encourage the City of DeKalb to formulate an overall sustainable development strategy linking affordable housing issues to economic development policies that offer the possibilities for living wage jobs that can promote financial security for all workers.

Mayor Chronopolous, Council Members, Members of the Community Development Department and DeKalb citizens, we thank you for your time and patience in hearing our comments, concerns and recommendations. We are excited about opportunities for creating citizen and government partnerships that the CDBG Plan makes possible, and we look forward to working together with you in the future to realize our goals of economic justice for all citizens in 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