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Chicago Citizens forNeighborhood Stabilization
January 15, 2010Hon. Ray SuarezAlderman, 31
st
WardChairman of the Committee on Housing & Real Estate4502 W. Fullerton Ave.Chicago, IL 60639Dear Alderman Suarez:
In January 2009, HUD approved the City of Chicago’s
plan to allocate $55,238,017Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds with the expectation of leveraging an additional$58 million in private financing. Program activities were to include acquisition of abandonedforeclosed properties to be rehabbed for rental and for sale housing, demolition of dilapidatedproperties, land banking, new construction, homebuyer financing and administration.The City indicated that it would use NSP funding to acquire 425 properties to be rehabbed.Of this number, 150 would be rehabbed for rental units, and 275 would be rehabbed forhomeownership. An additional 100 properties would be acquired for demolition. These propertieswere to be land banked and the resulting vacant lots were to be sold to developers and nonprofit agencies, who would construct new homes. The City anticipated that 60 of the 100 propertiesacquired for demolition would be eventually developed for new homes within the plan period. HUDguidelines require that NSP funds be committed within 18 months. We are very concerned that public records indicate that after about a year, the City has received $55 million funding for NSP 1,but only 12 acquisitions have been made as of December 31, 2009. We have provided a copy of anarticle outlining the status of the NSP program based upon publicly available information.We, the undersigned, representing citizens and community based organizations across theCity of Chicago, respectfully request that you would host a public hearing to determine the status of
the City’s $55 million Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP 1),
and its plans for an additional$98 million (NSP 2), awarded January 14, 2010. Ideally, the hearing will provide an opportunity for
City staff to make a presentation outlining their progress towards the program’s goals and
objectives, and identify those factors that seem to be hindering them from implementing theprogram within the proposed timeline. Likewise, there should be opportunities for publiccomments that would allow stakeholders to share their experiences with mortgage foreclosure andthe NSP p
rogram. At the end of the day, we’d like to see a set of recommendations as to how the
City Department of Community Development can make the necessary improvements and moveforward.If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Valerie F. Leonard at 773-521-3137 orvaleriefleonard@msn.com.Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from yousoon.Sincerely,CHICAGO CITIZENS FORNEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION(See attached list of organizations and individuals)
Chicago Citizens forNeighborhood Stabilization
The following organizations and individuals are in support of the January 15, 2010 request toAlderman Ray Suarez requesting a City Council Hearing on the status of the NeighborhoodStabilization Program.Adjoa Barbara J. Baker, Midwest Region Rep., N'COBRA, Co chairperson Chicago Chapter,National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America, N'COBRA, CitywideLeroy Bowers, 4
th
WardMs. Willie Mae Bowling, President, United Block Club Council, 24
th
WardCynthia L. Bowman 3rd Ward resident; activist in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 20
th
WardsBronzeville Area Residents' and Commerce Council, 2
nd
Ward, 3
rd
Ward, 4
th
WardRoxanne L. Brown, 4
th
WardWilliam N. Burch, 15
th
WardJoAnn Burl, Founder & CEO Jeanette's Joy Community Services, Roseland, 9
th
Ward, 34
th
WardChicago Westside Branch NAACP, 2
nd
Ward, 22
nd
Ward, 24
th
Ward, 27
th
Ward, 28
th
Ward,29
th
Ward, 37
th
WardRon Carter, Chairman, Black Wall Street-Chicago, CitywideArness Dancy, Pres/CEO, Englewood Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc., 3
rd
Ward, 6
th
Ward,15
th
Ward,16
th
Ward, 17
th
Ward, 20
th
WardJames Dean, Executive Director, Autumnus, Inc. 42
nd
Ward; 4
th
Ward resident Sel Dunlap, 24
th
WardGerald Frazier ,15th WardSandra Glenn, Executive Director, Prevention Force Family Center, 24
th
Ward, 29
th
Ward,37
th
WardDorothy Goldsmith, 24
th
WardMillie Goldsmith, 24
th
WardThe Grand Boulevard Federation, 2
nd
Ward, 3
rd
Ward, 4
th
WardDemetrice GriffinRosalind Henderson Harris, 5
th
WardDerrick Harris, President and CEO, North Lawndale LSC Federation, 2
nd
Ward, 22
nd
Ward,24
th
Ward, 27
th
Ward, 28
th
WardJanice Hobson, Bradley Youth Center, 24
th
WardBobbie Johnson, President, Rosenwald Commons Land Trust, 3
rd
WardArlene Jones, Austin Weekly News, 37
th
WardRose Joshua, President, Chicago Southside NAACP, (All Southside Wards)Trudi Langendorf, 50
th
WardLawndale Alliance, 2
nd
Ward, 22
nd
Ward, 24
th
Ward, 27
th
Ward, 28
th
Ward
Minister Sylvia JonesValerie F. Leonard, 24
th
WardSusan P. Malone, Esq., 47
th
WardAviva Miriam Patt, 35
th
WardVictoria Quero, 25
th
WardDonna Ramey, 20
th
WardRickey L. Robertson, 5
th
WardJanis Robinson, Park Manor Neighbor's Association, 6
th
WardMahaley Sommerville, 24
th
WardRichard Townsell, 24
th
WardMichael Trout, Executive Director, YMEN, 24
th
Ward; Lawndale resident, 22
nd
WardDwayne Truss, 29
th
WardRev. Anibal Vega, CEO, The Center for Community Development Initiatives, 16
th
Ward,20
th
WardDorothy Walton, Community Activist,
“
The Fighting Fifth
”
, 2
nd
Ward, 24
th
Ward, 27
th
Ward, 28
th
WardRev. Stanley Watkins, Chief of Staff, Office of Rep. Bobby L. Rush; Wards: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 15,16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 34Dorothy Williams, 24
th
WardAttorney Melissa Williams, 24
th
WardSavannah Williams, 3
rd
WardGladys Woodson, United Block Club Council 22
nd
Ward, 24
th
Ward
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