In our January newsletter I said that we were going to cover the city's new five year housing plan for 2019-2023, which was approved by the city council towards the end of last year. In last week's article (which you guys seemed to like, thanks!) I said that we would be covering it today, and we are to an extent, but not directly. We'll cover it directly next week. Because as I reviewed it, it became apparent that it is a promise and a plan, and like any promise its worth depends on the reputation of the person who makes it.
There are certain times when promises and proposals are so exciting that we don't think about how trustworthy the source might be. When someone proposes marriage, we're often swept off our feet with relief and joy without thinking about how many times our partner has been divorced. When a landlord offers us an apartment after getting denied a few times by others, we might leap to accept it without reading the lease.
The new five year plan was breathlessly covered by media outlets, mostly because of its leap from introduction to approval by the city council in less than a month. As it has been approved we will look at it. But my personal motto is “remember where you came from.”
This is not the first five year plan for housing that Chicago has had. It is the sixth consecutive five year plan, which means we're now entering our 26th straight year of municipal five year housing plans. So first let's take a look at how Chicago did in keeping its promises from the old one, which was in effect from January 2014 through December 2018. Continue reading Accountability Check: Chicago’s 2014-2018 Housing Plan
