Mid-South Selected for Empowerment Zone!
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/ • • • , South Street Journal News for & serving: Grand Boulevard (BronzeviUe), Douglas, Oakland, Kenwood, Woodlawn, Washington Park, Near South, Gap, Fuller Park, Armour Square Vol.1 No. 13 May 19, - June 3,1994 KOCO Demands Mid-South Support for Moderate Income Housing for selected for Kenwood-Oakland Charges Aid. Preckwinkle The Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization (KOCO) is Empowerment demanding that Alderman Toni Preckwinkle (4th) support moderate-income housing and the Chicago Affordable Housing and Jobs Ordinance in the Conservation area of the 4th Ward. "The reason why we are making this demand on Alderman Preckwinkle is because the Conservation Plan that was passed by the city council in October 1992 states, To provide quality, Zone! affordable housing to all income The Mid-South communities of Dou- Mayor's Chicago Empowerment Zone groups." said Robert Lucas Ex- glas, Grand Boulevard, Washington Coordinating Council. ecutive Director of KOCO, Park, Woodlawn, North Kenwood and The next step is for the Mayor's to "Another reason for our demand is Oakland was chosen as one of three submit a formal application to the that currently, the city's Department areas in Chicago to complete nationally Clinton administration by June 30 of Planning and Economic De- for $100 million in the federal govern- where the final decision will be made. velopment is having 60 homes built ment's Empowerment Zone program. Angelo Rose, Chairman of the Mid- from the Parade of Homes Program The community now must compete South Planning and Development for middle-and - upper-middle in- against over 200 cities nationwide Commission said, "the selection only come people that will range in price where President Bill Clinton's complements what the organizations from $139,000 to $230,000 in the administration will make the decision are currently doing in the community." conservation area." Robert Lucas> Executive lately this year. "Some people never thought we KOCO said it is not opposed to Director of KOCO The other Chicago communities would get this far." said Rose. "But the the Parade Homes program, but the picked by the council in Chicago are point here is that the Mid-South com- Conservation plan must support affordable and moderate- the Garfield Park, Austin and munity never receive it's fair and ade- income housing in order to give the community balanced Lawndale and the other southside quate share of city services, street development. cluster is Pilsen and little Village will resurfacing and the like, We can see KOCO further charges Alderman Preckwinkle with be competing with other cities in need the Empowerment Zone project as a discriminating against people in North Kenwood-Oakland, that of development, such as Detroit, Miami clear vision of supporting the things we are in need of moderate-income and and Los Angels. Only six cities will be are doing and clearing what we want affordable housing. KOCO granted the funds nation-wide. our community to look like now." reported that on May 5th Alderman In a process that bought over 50 Rose stressed that, "it is not over yet. Preckwinkle met with staff organizations and representatives of the We have to still work just as hard to members of the City's Department Mid-south area together, they get Washington D.C. to accept mid- of Planning and the Department of developed and submitted a plan to the south as one of the communities. So Housing and the Shirley Newsome, we must get the support of our elected Chairperson of the North Kenwood- officials local as well as national." Oakland Conservation Community Mid-South as the south cluster, alone Council (CCC) and stated to them the other communities clusters areas that from this point on, developers Congressman Bobby Rush (2) office that are interested in utilizing the Alderman Toni empowerment stated the congressman is still new homes for Chicago program in Preckwinkle 4th ward zone areas reviewing the Empowerment zone North Kenwood-Oakland will have to engage in competitive program and will not make any bidding for the city-owned lots, which KOCO said they find o, decision until the congressman returns rather bizarre because the new homes for Chicago program from a trip to South Africa in about tow has been around for the last 4 or 5 years, and competitive weeks. bidding has not taken place anywhere else in the city, so why Gwendoly Taylor, Program Director in Kenwood-Oakland. for adult Education for the Firman Alderman Preckwinkle said that she was not aware of Community Center said, "One of the KOCO's program for new housing in the area and was not able, most important parts of the to endorse it to the CCC. She said she was in the planning Empowerment Zone is the Wage Tax stages with the Parade of Homes which is her reason for credit, where companies hiring endorsing it to the CCC. 2O0 U.S. cities afe residents in the Empowerment Zone Preckwinkle said her office do support low-and-moderate will get a tax credit." She added that, income housing stating that over 136 units of low and "the challenge is to economic moderate income housing has been provided in the 4th ward development, where organizations that since she been in office. provide job training must perform, "We are going to testify at the CDC meeting . The reason beginning the skilled levers and adult for our testimony is because for the last three years the CDC training to take part of the tax credit Continue on page 11 Chicago Tribune Continue on page 11 "If We don't Work, Noboby Work" CBUC to CTA for Jobs The Chicago Black United Communities going to work with (United Services) them. (CBUC)/United Services of Chicago held a So we had to put out a Request For Proposal mass rally of 300 people at Bethel AME for the best qualified." He added that, "We church on 44th and Michigan last week, have to reminded CHA. they don't set the charging that if the community resident do policy for the mayor." not get jobs from the CTA Greenline project Alderman Virgil Jones (15), pitched that nobody will. addressing the rally, also charged that CTA is Eddie Read of CBUC charged Charles dragging, and that this process prolongs Bowen of the Mayor's office of making sure action to ensure residents jobs. Untied Services is not the monitoring agency Bowen said that the city only granted the over the jobs for the south side. funds to CTA for monitoring affirmative Bowen told South Street Journal that action for the Greenline, but sees the city "Groups have come to us and said it's not goal of 30% will be meet. -SSj Photo by Damten Lee- Page May 19. - June 3.1994 South Street Journal The Past 60 years of Community Briefs Washington Park is Sought The Washington Park Advisory Council is seeking remembrance of Washington Park over the past 60 years to kick off the opening of Harold Washington College-Kenwood Family the new Washington Park Reflector and Aquatic Center located at Learning Center at 4608 S. Greenwood is providing "oes Barbara Norman, the former 55th and King Drive. ' Harold Washington Party candidate, "We want to capture to memory of the past that people has had of FREE, who put the Empowerment Zone package the park," said Cecilia Butler, President of the Council; "We want to Literacy and GED classes, Vocational counseling, Motivational speakers, Parenting support group, Sports, swimming and dance and together for Fuller Park, live in Fuller highlight the good times people have had in the park. The 60's, 70's Music and Drama classes. Plus complimentary lunch and Park? Report from the Fuller Park and 80's, looking forward to the bright future when we have the opening of the new renovated Washington Park." transportation reimbursement, child care referrals and community is that E. Hickinbottom of East reimbursement, oa-site school age program (6-12 years old) and Lake Developers, a close associate of Alderman The council is requesting that people who can submit oral or printed material, items, pictures, etc.. \» for the grand opening field trips and more. Call Nathaniel Parker or Dorothy Beard to Dorothy TUlman, is gearing up to do some should forward them to Ms. Cecilia Butler, c/o Washington Park enroll at 373-8743. housing development in the Fuller Park jidvisory Council 5849 S. Indiana Ave. Chicago Illinois 60609 or TAXI MEDALLION LOTTERY APPLICATIONS community. bring them to the next Council meeting on May 18th at the AVAILABLE Beginning Monday, May 9, applications for Taxi Medallion Lottery Word has it that Mattie Butler of WECAN, Washington Park Field House, 55th and King Drive at 6:30 pm. will be available to licensed cab drivers. A total of 200 taxi Jerry Butler's sister, is about to get the Single The opening is expected soon in the honor of former Mayor Harold Washington. medallions- 100 new medallions created by the City and 100 Room Occupancy (SRO) building on 62nd and surrendered by Checker and Yellow Cab Companies'" will be Dorchester. With the help of people from The distributed to qualified public chauffeurs. The current market value Woodlawn Organization and recently, Lor en of a taxi medallion is approximately $36,000. Lottery applications Allen, the former Executive Director of The may be obtained from the Dept. Consumer Services, 510 N. Woodlawn Organization has told folks in a Peshtigo Ct For info call 744-6227. meeting that Housing is more important than MASK MAKING CLASS AT YOUR SCHOOL, CHURCH OR jobs, after working on the St. Edmonds church ORGANIZATION for youth and adults. (61st and Michigan) housing development This is an on-going "Arts in Education-Education in the Arts" project of 65 units on Evans street.