Housing Justice

P.Rae
Feb 8
2 min read

Updated: Feb 8

Keep the Promise. Double the Delivery.

Chicago families in IL-07 have been asked to carry the cost of “transformation” for decades. Public housing was demolished under the Chicago Housing Authority’s Plan for Transformation with a clear commitment to rebuild. The promise was simple: families would not be displaced and forgotten.

Too often, that promise has not been kept.

What was promised, and what residents see today

Reporting and public records show the Plan for Transformation resulted in more than 18,000 public housing units demolished, alongside a commitment to replace or rehabilitate about 25,000 units.

The need remains enormous. ABC7 has reported more than 200,000 families on CHA waiting lists, with long waits that can stretch for years depending on unit type and location.

HUD previously took control of CHA in the mid-1990s and returned it to local control in 1999, a shift that many residents and advocates point to when discussing accountability gaps.

CHA’s own budget documents show a system operating at billion-dollar scale, including a total net position in the billions in recent budget financials. The candidate argues that capacity should translate into measurable delivery for families.

Why this matters to IL-07

Housing instability fuels a chain reaction that residents know well: school disruption, longer commutes, unsafe living conditions, and neighborhood turnover that weakens local businesses and community ties. When the public sector makes commitments at this scale, and outcomes lag for decades, trust breaks down.

This is why the housing justice conversation is not theoretical in IL-07. It is daily life.

“Chicago families were promised replacement homes, and too many are still waiting. Federal oversight, paired with serious construction accountability, is how we finally get results.”

The proposal: Federal Housing Justice and Accountability Act

P. Rae Easley’s housing pillar centers on a federal enforcement framework focused on delivery:

One-for-one replacement, plus new units to reduce the backlogA rebuild standard designed to replace what was lost and reduce the waiting list.
Right of Return that works in practiceClear eligibility rules, support for displaced residents, and deadlines that are tracked publicly.
Restored federal oversight tied to benchmarksIf goals are not met, federal oversight is reinstated with transparent compliance reporting.
Resident oversight with real authorityResident panels empowered to review progress, flag failures, and demand public answers.
Construction discipline to prevent endless delaysA construction oversight approach aimed at on-time delivery, cost control, and local jobs.

What accountability would look like

The framework includes performance benchmarks and consequences. If targets are missed, funding conditions tighten and oversight escalates. The point is to end the cycle where promises are made, timelines slip, and families absorb the damage.