The 920-unit Lathrop Homes, a Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) project, has been largely vacant for several years. On Tuesday, according to Chicago Real Estate Daily, the CHA voted to authorize Lathrop Community Partners, a consortium of developers, to move forward with planning for the project’s redevelopment, which may involve as many as 1,200 mixed-income housing units.
Diversey Pkwy neatly bisects the 37-acre development site, which lies at the far northwest corner of Lincoln Park and the southwest corner of North Center and is bordered on the west by the Chicago River.
The redevelopment, which is likely to be the source of ongoing controversy, should have a positive impact on nearby properties.
I feel the Lathrop Homes south of Diversey Parkway should be market rate and those north of Diversey should be mixed-income . Those south of Diversey are surrounded by gentrified area and those people do not want all the issues/crime that come with public housing. There is plenty of public housing in other areas of the city.
What is happening at the Lathrop Home is just another privatization scheme hatched by the Daley administration.
Anyone who has real knowledge of the Lathrop Community knows that it meets all of the criteria /goals of the TRANSFORMATION plan. It should be rehabbed as public housing just like the CHA did with its sister development the Trumball Homes on the south side.
I am a voting and taxpaying citizen from the 32nd Ward who voiced concerns with my alderman regarding the excessive amount of daily custodial work being done at the near-vacant Lathrop Homes.
According to the CHA Freedom of Information Act: In 2008 & 2009, Lathrop Public Housing Development received $1.7 million (each year) in taxpayer money for maintenance & salaries. In 2010 that figure spiked to $3.2million, with a projected $1.8million in 2011.
Lathrop Homes is only 18% occupied and yet there are custodians (several at times) sweeping the curb side, watering the lawn, planting flowers, and painting rocks.
Why?
I was told that “The CHA is committed to making sure that the property manager maintains Lathrop in a manner such that it isn’t perceived as a detriment to the surrounding residential and retail development”.
This begs the question, “Who is watching the watchers?”
With staggering figures of $2 and $3million a year for maintenance and salaries that support a property that houses 166 out of 925 units, is this simply a “concern”? I feel this concern warrants more action because I don’t know any home owner or condo association paying tens of thousands per year – per household for maintenance to improve their property value.
How can the Mayor or the City Council pat themselves on the back with yesterday’s budget approval, touting “we made tough choices”, when this egregious spending on the CHA Lathrop Homes project is being approved?
I’m writing this as a working man who passes this project housing every day on his commute. I just scratched the surface through simple observation and discovered government spending gone amuck. It makes me and those I’ve shared this information with wonder, “If this is obvious to us, then what spending haven’t we noticed?”
Several private owned – large acre – business and housing developers expressed sticker shock at the amount of fat on the spreadsheet. I also shared the spreadsheet with a CPA who handles a Catholic Charity housing property, and he blanched at the dollars being spent.
Aside from the millions in spending over the past four years, the CHA is now planning renovations?!? At what expense to the taxpayer and Chicago?
According to the CHA, “The changes will help integrate residents into the surrounding community and make the buildings more environmentally sustainable.” In my opinion this is political speak for taxpayer green jobs stimulus money allocation, higher local tax burdens, and more government redistribution of wealth that will most likely be cloaked under the rhetorical slogan “It’s for the children”. (I’ve already seen the Lathrop write up in Urbanophile that opens with a big picture titled “Children of Lathrop Homes”.)
The CHA budget needs to be cut from funding the Lathrop Homes landscaping, maintenance and salaries. $2million a year, and now they are asking for MORE funding? I cannot believe this topic is even up for discussion. The answer should be NO MORE SPENDING on statist Utopian idealism.
“The answer should be NO MORE SPENDING on statist Utopian idealism.”
So obviously the 32nd ward wants more slums and decrepit CHA property.