46Th Ward Candidates

46TH WARD CANDIDATES

Aldermanic Candidate Voter Guide

JCUA believes the upcoming municipal elections are critically important to the direction our city takes and will have a major impact on what is politically possible in Chicago. Our next mayor and city council must share our values and support the issues JCUA and our community partners care about. We need elected officials who feel accountable to us in order to create an equitable Chicago.

This election is an important opportunity to move forward our immigration justice and police accountability work, as well as our programmatic work with affordable housing and economic development. From the Welcoming City Ordinance, the Chicago Gang Database, community oversight of the Chicago Police Department, reforms to Fraternal Order of Police Union contract, to the proliferation of gentrification in Chicago’s neighborhoods-- so much is at stake in our city.

Please use this voter guide, representing eleven wards across Chicago, to help you and your community learn more about candidates’ positions on issues related to JCUA’s work and mission.

Jewish Council on Urban Affairs 4700 N. Ravenswood, Suite B Chicago, IL 60647 www.jcua.org

Candidate Questionnaire

Candidate Statement Please describe yourself and why you are the best candidate for Alderman of your ward. (Max. 300 words)

Welcoming City Ordinance* The Chicago Welcoming City Ordinance limits collaboration between Chicago police and federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), directing the police to disregard ICE warrants and detainers and to restrict ICE access to City facilities and information. The current ordinance includes four exceptions to the general rule to not arrest or hold anyone based solely on an ICE warrant or hold request. These exceptions involve individuals with prior felony convictions, pending felony charges, open warrants, or a listing in the city’s gang database.

Do you support or oppose amending the Welcoming City Ordinance to remove these exceptions? Please state support or oppose and elaborate on your position. (Max. 100 words)

Chicago’s Gang Database* The Chicago gang database is a list of 195,000 Chicagoans who have been “tagged” as gang members. Individuals tagged in the database often suffer harsh consequences, including loss of job opportunities, harsher sentencing, and, for immigrants, detention and deportation (under an exception to the Welcoming City Ordinance). Ninety seven percent of individuals listed in Chicago’s gang database are Black and Latinx. In March 2018, the Office of Inspector General announced its own independent investigation into Chicago’s gang database, confirming advocates’ concerns about the database as a tool to criminalize communities of color, with zero accountability, due process, or oversight.

Do you support or oppose ending the City’s gang database? Please state support or oppose and elaborate on your position. (Max. 100 words)

Police Community Oversight Board The Grassroots Alliance for Police Accountability (GAPA) is a coalition of community organizations working in more than 30 wards throughout Chicago, committed to making our neighborhoods safer, improving police practices and accountability, and transforming community-police relations. GAPA’s proposed community oversight fulfills the recommendation as laid out by the mayor’s Police Accountability Task Force, to create a community-driven “oversight board” with “power to oversee CPD, the new CPIA [now COPA] and all police oversight mechanisms.” The ordinance proposed by GAPA, currently in city council, outlines the creation of a Community Police Commission selected by district council members whose role will also involve fostering connections between the police and the community and ensuring regular community input for Commission efforts. The Community Police Commission will make or participate in key leadership decisions, establish goals and evaluate progress, play a role in policy, and promote community engagement and transparency.

Do you support or oppose GAPA’s proposed community oversight of the Chicago Police department? Please state support or oppose and elaborate on your position. (Max. 100 words)

Fraternal Order of Police Union Contract The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Chicago’s police officer union, has been operating under an expired contract which perpetuates a code of silence, making it easier for police officers to lie about misconduct. The contract makes it difficult to investigate and be transparent about misconduct, and it allows repeat abusers to burden taxpayers through huge settlement payments without sufficient accountability. The Coalition for Police Contracts Accountability (CPCA) has fourteen recommendations (www.cpcachicago.org/the-recommendations) to reform the police union contract.

Do you support or oppose the recommendations put forth by CPCA? Please state support or oppose and elaborate on your position. (Max. 100 words)

Affordable Housing According to a recent study by the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University, while developers in the City have been building new apartments, most of them cater to higher-income renters. Meanwhile, in neighborhoods across the city, Chicago is losing too many lower-priced apartments due to rising rents, conversions of small apartments to single-family homes, and neglect.

What specific strategies will you use to promote affordable housing in your ward, for both rental housing and homeownership? Please share the strategies you would prioritize for implementation in your ward and on a city level. (Max. 300 words)

Poverty, Racism, and Antisemitism For over 50 years the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA) has been committed to our mission to combat poverty, racism and antisemitism.

Please speak to how your candidate is committed to fighting poverty, racism, and antisemitism in Chicago. (Max. 300 words)

*These questions are from the Chicago Immigration Policy Working Group and Campaign to Expand Sanctuary City-Wide Candidate Questionnaire

46th Ward Candidates

Ald. James Cappleman (incumbent) Candidate Statement I have spent the past eight years taking on complex issues and seemingly impossible tasks in the 46th Ward – and I am proud of what we have accomplished.

I have fought for vital infrastructure improvement projects, like the $203M Wilson L reconstruction, which has transformed a 119 year old facility into an updated station that can serve our community for the next 100 years. I worked to ensure that the rehabilitation of the Uptown Theatre would be a project slated for completion during my term in office – and I am proud that is now a reality. I have fostered the development of Uptown’s Entertainment District, which now includes a $6M Streetscape of the Broadway/Lawrence Corridor and the addition of entertainment venues: Double Door, Baton Lounge, recently reopened Carol’s Pub. We have accomplished all of this while protecting and adding to our current stock of safe, subsidized, affordable housing—the most affordable housing options in the city. Additionally, I know how to facilitate smart economic development that creates jobs for all residents

Welcoming City Ordinance I am supportive of all of our “Welcoming City” programs.

Chicago’s Gang Database I support the IGs conclusions and believe that additional oversight and accountability in the process of adding an individual to the list can be done while still providing law enforcement with the necessary tools to fight gang violence.

Police Community Oversight Board I strongly believe that there is a need for greater transparency, accountability and oversight of our city’s police department. I am supportive of the reforms offered by GAPA and remain committed to ensuring that we continue to seek innovative ways to improve the relationship between the police and the communities which they serve.

Fraternal Order of Police Union Contract It is imperative that we fix the CPD contract. I look forward to working with CPCA to ensure that their proposals result in the most substantive and beneficial reforms.

Affordable Housing The Uptown community I serve ranks first in the city in terms of HUD housing, with 2,750 units. That’s seven times more than the average amount found in the other 76 community areas within the city. The 46th Ward also ranks first with in terms of having the most Low-Income Housing Trust Fund units that house people with an annual income of less than $16,000; that number surpasses the total number of

LIHTF units found in 28 other wards. Additionally, my ward is home to numerous CHA, Voice of the People, Heartland Alliance, and Mercy Housing units. We also have 50 units of housing for people diagnosed with a mental illness who are also alcohol and /or drug dependent. We still need more affordable housing and I am committed to adding an extra 100 units in 2019. I seek more, but at the same time remain committed to advocate to my colleagues the need to step up and do their fair share as well. The housing crisis is a city-wide issue that requires a city-wide response. I intend to continue to lead on this issue.

Poverty, Racism, and Antisemitism I share the JCUA’s commitment to combat poverty and to ensure that in a community as diverse as mine, and in our current political climate, that we stand together against those who would wish to divide us. Uptown, in its diversity, and in our commitment to keeping it an affordable place to live, embodies the principles that drive your organization and my commitment to service.

I also understand that combatting poverty requires permanent solutions, not temporary fixes. That is why I worked with the city to ensure that nearly 100 individuals who were living under the Lake Shore Drive viaducts in my ward were not simply relocated or provided temporary shelter, but instead found permanent housing solutions within our community. I will continue that commitment during my next term.

Angela Clay Candidate Statement As the only candidate from this community the 46 Ward has been home to me for twenty-seven years & home to my family for over eighty years. I graduated from the only High School in our Ward, Uplift Community High School & I am a proud DePaul graduate with a degree in Public Policy & urban studies. As the former youngest President of Voice of The People in Uptown, my passion & life’s work has been dedicated to serving all of our neighbors no matter your nationality, income, religion, or gender.

Because of this amazing community I was able to take advantage of an immense number of resources such as mental health providers, affordable housing, & amazing teachers that came from my same community. All these resources however are currently being eliminated or threatened with extinction due to the obvious change forcing poor, low income and working-class families out of our Ward. Uptown is one of the most diverse communities in the world with over forty languages spoken! In the last two years new developments have honed in on our community, tapped into our public official and used our TIF dollars to strategically change the diversity and culture of the very community that has produced doctors, engineers, activist & professional athletes to name a few.

As your Alderman my goals are simple, keep our community culturally and economically diverse by preserving and expanding affordable housing, use TIF funding in its truest form by investing back into our schools, parks and other community needs, as well as bring economic development that will

employ our youth, homeless & veterans. This election is the deciding factor for the future of our neighbors and our community. The 46 Ward has enough room for everyone to grow & prosper, it’s up to us to stand on the right side of justice to make sure that happens.

Welcoming City Ordinance I oppose amending the Welcoming Ordinance. As a Sanctuary City I believe it’s in our name to give people second chances and we should not punish people who could’ve possibly been entered into our racist gang database. Chicago has the opportunity with a new city council to actually strengthen our stance on protecting immigrants here in our City. As Alderman I would like to see a no exemptions ordinance passed so that our vital resources aren’t being used to harm our immigrant neighbors.

Chicago’s Gang Database I wholeheartedly support ending one of the biggest racial profiling tools this City uses to target Black & Latinx constituents. The gang database is severely skewed and is only based on assumptions of police officers. Many of my neighbors have actually been pushed out of their homes & communities due to just having a negative interaction with the police that labeled them a gang member. This database is often used to target minority youth as they develop into young adults disrupting communities and needs to be demolished.

Police Community Oversight Board I don’t oppose GAPA but I believe that Chicago Police Accountability Coalition (CPAC) is the correct & democratic way to go about it. CPAC directly gives communities to have a direct say in the hiring & firing of the superintendent, the Chicago Police Department contract, and police accountability. We need to make sure our communities are properly protected across this entire city and it comes down to better police training without a Cop Academy misusing our tax dollars, accountability for all misconduct, breaking the known “code of blue” and fostering meaningful relationships with the community.

Fraternal Order of Police Union Contract I wholeheartedly support the fourteen recommendations by CPCA and think they need to be implemented within the first thirty days of the new city council. CPD has cost the tax payers of Chicago a lot of money, a lot of sorrow & trust. Our police officers need to understand that accountability is here and it starts with implementing true community oversight of our police force. The CPD takes up nearly half of the entire City’s budget, not including settlements paid to families of innocent victims. We need to stop settling for human lives equating to a dollar amount to avoid the deeper issues within our police force.

Affordable Housing I would support a rent control referendum forcing the entire State to protect our neighbors from displacement and lift the band on rent control. 71% of the 46 Ward are renters paying almost half of their monthly income just for housing. Without rent control renters are subjected to displacement & debt. Also, the Chicago Housing Authority has a surplus of over 400 million dollars as our homeless brothers and sister make life changing decisions daily just for shelter. This is frankly a disgrace to the city council & as Alderwoman I will fight to push CHA to start spending that surplus on building new affordable housing, preserving affordable housing already in place throughout the city, as well as fighting for more accessible affordable housing units for our handicap neighbors. Housing is a basic human right that all of us need, as Alderman I will ensure that any new upzoning contains 10%-30%

onsite affordable housing. Homeownership is directly related to credit and access to capital, which many low income and working class families struggle with. As Alderman I want to create an inclusive homeownership program that encompasses grants & local Banks to educate families on the steps they need to take to become a homeowner and lend them money once they successfully complete the program. I will also work with local housing non for profits to work with them to get additional private and public funds to continue serve our neighbors needs.

Poverty, Racism, and Antisemitism As a young Moorish woman that grew up in affordable housing I’ve experienced poverty & racism first hand. I’ve been racially profiled & refused service, I’ve had to fight for an education that taught me about my oppressors more than it did about investing, & I’ve seen the detrimental side effects of disinvestment in our youth, immigrants & disabled. As the youngest President of Voice of the People it was critical that I worked with our neighbors to offer meaningful employment opportunities to residents in our Ward, after school programs to at risk youth, as well as educate our community on the importance of a mixed income community. All of these skills are critical in an ever changing community that is seeing the onset of urban gentrification and in order for all of us to survive we need to make sure our community is educated, safe & diverse. The 46 Ward thrives on being a melting pot and as Alderman I will do everything in my power to educate our neighbors through community engagement that bridges gaps and tears down stereotypes. We are all affected when we aren’t all connected, and it starts with education, getting our neighbors involved in community decisions, & holding people who threaten or harm our neighbors accountable for their actions.

Marianne Lalonde Candidate Statement My name is Marianne Lalonde. I am a scientist and a progressive community activist ready to make an impact on my community and the city. I first came to Chicago to pursue a PhD in Chemistry from Northwestern University and fell in love with the city. Immediately after graduating, I had the opportunity to be a science policy fellow for Senator Sherrod Brown and got a taste for public service through that experience. I saw the value of having more passionate scientists in positions to affect change and resolved that I would remain civically engaged when I returned to Chicago. Since moving to Uptown, I have become the president of my block club, served on the Clarendon Park Advisory Council, the Committee to Save Uplift High School (our ward's only public high school), the Lake Shore Drive Study Task Force, and the Sarah's Circle Associate's Board. I feel so fortunate to have had the privilege of participating actively in such a vibrant, diverse, and engaged community. I decided to run for City Council because our current Alderman, James Cappleman, has consistently prioritized luxury development over public services, public parks, and school funding in our ward. He also has a very reactive approach to policing that does not work to prevent the gang-related violence that plagues our neighborhoods. He has to go. I also believe that it is about time that Chicago saw a scientist on its City Council. Scientists are analytical problem-solvers and strong B.S. filters. Also, Chicago should be leading the way on environmental sustainability best practices and we face challenges like lead in our

water that someone with a scientific background can bring specific expertise to solving. I believe I am the right person to take on the challenges and opportunities facing our ward and city.

Welcoming City Ordinance I support the Chicago Welcoming City Ordinance and the protections it affords the immigrant population of our city. As the daughter of an immigrant, and someone who aspires to represent a community of immigrants, it is of the utmost importance to me that we remain a “Welcoming City.” Chicago’s laws should apply to all residents of the city regardless of documentation status. I am supportive of amending the Ordinance to remove pending charges, open warrants, and listing in the city’s gang database.

Chicago’s Gang Database I oppose the gang database. Not only is the practice clearly racist and unconstitutional, but there is no proven benefit to labeling people as criminals proactively. Each person should be treated as innocent until proven guilty, regardless of race, ethnicity, immigration status, or socioeconomic status.

Police Community Oversight Board I support the GAPA ordinance for civilian police accountability. All Chicagoans regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or mental health status have the right to feel safe and protected by a police force that is accountable for its actions, and representative of the communities it serves. disproportionate sentencing and negative day-to-day police interactions have contributed to a growing (and justifiable) distrust of law enforcement.

Fraternal Order of Police Union Contract I support the recommendations put forward by CPCA and would require any new FOP contract to include all of them. I intend to push for clearer language in the FOP contract regarding officer accountability. Among other issues, the current police contract allows officers to change their statements about incidents when they are not provided with audio or visual evidence before giving their initial statements. It also forbids investigators from accessing past complaints against officers with the exception of excessive force and criminal conduct, which ignores important past complaints including racial and sexual abuse, patterns of false arrest, and illegal searches.

Affordable Housing It is imperative to preserve each existing affordable housing unit, to promote the prosperity and dignity of residents by ensuring current units are well-maintained, and to create a development plan that keeps current residents in the ward. For new developers, this means incorporating onsite affordable housing units into their properties rather than opting out by paying into the Low Income Housing Trust Fund. It is also important that larger, multi-bedroom affordable housing units be created that will give neighbors the opportunity to invest in our ward long-term, through raising their families in the 46th ward and supporting 46th ward public schools.

SROs are an irreplaceable housing resource in the 46th ward. Maintaining SROs is cost- effective over time, and many residents rely on SROs for their housing. When SRO tenants are displaced, it negatively impacts not only the residents, but the local economy and creates a higher demand for homelessness services that are already under resourced.

I fully support the Chicago City Council’s Progressive Caucus’ move to take a more active role in controlling the TIF funds. TIF should only be used in areas that are blighted, vacant and/or obsolete, and areas where the project could not move forward financially but for the requested TIF subsidy. I also believe that TIFs should be prioritized for projects that serve the entire community – it is never appropriate to give TIF money to a luxury real estate developer. The right balance for aldermanic prerogative is ensuring that residents’ concerns can still communicated and addressed in alignment with city-wide priorities. I support legislation that will limit the power of aldermanic prerogative to be used to block affordable housing construction. On the rental side, I am in support of rent control, and even collected signatures for the ballot initiative in November of 2018.

Poverty, Racism, and Antisemitism The 46th Ward is an extremely diverse ward racially, ethnically, and economically. Many of the issues facing the ward mirror the issues facing the city as a whole. The demand for affordable housing in our city greatly outweighs the current supply, which has contributed to an increasing homeless population. I believe it is imperative to preserve public services that ensure those in the most dire need have access. Through my work with Sarah’s Circle, a women’s homeless shelter in the ward, I have seen the impact a resource like that can have on a person’s life. We also need to give people an opportunity to put down roots in the ward and build themselves up by providing dignified, larger affordable housing options that encourage families to move to and remain in the 46th Ward.

The polarization of wealth in our city has led to a multitude of issues including youth disenfranchisement and increases in violent crime. City-wide there is a demand for increased investment in resources that benefit our residents, for example, public schools, parks and equitable transit access. Through my candidacy I’ve been able to develop relationships with candidates in other wards across the city to address systemic inequality from a proactive, city-wide perspective. I plan to stimulate the local economy through small business development, especially immigrant, minority, and women-owned businesses via zoning and development policies. Having a strong local economy is proven to improve the holistic circumstances of a community. To fight institutional racism and antisemitism, one has to fight inequality. Hate comes from ignorance, separation, and desperation. I am determined to close the cracks and gaps in our community and our city through equitable access to resources that increase the dignity and harmony of our city.

Erika Wozniak Francis Candidate Statement My name is Erika Wozniak Francis and I am a progressive Democrat running for Alderman of the 46th Ward. I am running for alderman because I see an opportunity to bring new leadership on all levels of government in the City of Chicago. I have been a leader and policy advocate long before I ever considered becoming a candidate. For the past 15 years, I have been a part of the movement to change Chicago. I have been a vocal advocate of raising the minimum wage to $15 and to stopping the misuse of TIF funds. I’m also a nationally awarded Chicago Public School teacher who has seen the misplaced priorities

of city officials firsthand. I’ve seen Chicago’s mass school closures, classroom overcrowding, budget cuts and the harsh effects it’s taken on teachers, students, and families across the city of Chicago. I am running for alderman because the 46th Ward needs a representative who is not afraid to stand up for the interests of its residents, even if that means standing up to the mayor.

Welcoming City Ordinance I support removing these exceptions and adopting the Village of Oak Park’s model in which cooperation with ICE is only permitted with a judicial warrant.

Chicago’s Gang Database I support ending the City’s gang database. The database is riddled with inaccuracies, carries lifelong consequences for those listed, and does not allow for appeals. Recent reports on the gang database show that nearly a fourth of those listed in the database were 17 or younger upon listing. Since 1999, the database has listed nearly 400 kids underneath the age of 12 as gang members. It is more than just inaccurate, it is also unjust.

Police Community Oversight Board I support GAPA’s proposed community oversight. We need to build a relationship of trust and communication between communities in Chicago and the Chicago Police Department in order to foster more effective, ethical policing while also supporting our officers. Increased oversight through GAPA’s proposal will serve to build that relationship by creating a community driven model.

Fraternal Order of Police Union Contract Yes. I believe that these recommendations would bring forth more opportunities for officers to be honest and accountable without fear.

Affordable Housing The current ARO system allows developers to pay fees and opt out of providing on-site housing. Even after the 2015 ARO update, these problems have continued, pushing the city to re-segregate. While there are new affordable units are being built in the city, they are not being built where residents need them. I support the Our Home, Chicago ordinances package which mandates that 30% of onsite units in new developments are affordable.

Poverty, Racism, and Antisemitism I am committed to creating an equitable Chicago. As a Chicago Public School teacher I’ve worked to fight prejudice by writing and teaching curricula that addresses racism and antisemitism with students. I will be just as committed as to fighting these issues as alderman by vocally supporting the aforementioned policies. Additionally, I have been fighting for a $15 minimum wage since long before I decided to run for office and I will continue to fight for a livable minimum wage as alderman.

Justin Kreindler Candidate Statement I am married and have two young children. I have spent my professional life in the nonprofit sector, building strong communities and developing young leaders across Chicago. I am a former board member of East Lake View Neighbors (ELVN), a founding member of the Future of Choice board for Planned Parenthood Illinois Action where he has been a volunteer since 2005, and a past Vice-Chair of the Skyline Council with Landmark Illinois (volunteer since 2011). I am also a practicing Jew.

I have the vision, creativity, managerial experience, and values to lead our community and stand up for what is right in our city council. My campaign and policies are guided by my longstanding commitment to service, transparency, community, equity, and diversity. Over the past 8 years, I have worked closely in a professional setting with ONE Northside, Kuumba Lynx, Alternatives, Uptown United, Sarah's Circle, Walt Disney Magnet School, Courtenay Elementary, Institute of Cultural Affairs, Broadway Youth Center, and the Center on Halsted, all of which are organizations that serve our ward. I have a deep understanding of our community and its assets, and a clear handle on possible new approaches to our community’s challenges. As Alderman, I will focus on building on what works in the 46th Ward. Rather than making ultra-luxury changes to the area, like our current Alderman intends to do, I am committed to ensuring that people who want to continue living in East Lakeview and Uptown can continue to do So.

Welcoming City Ordinance I am proud that Chicago is a welcoming city. Chicago depends on immigrants to drive growth, to pay taxes, to send children to our schools, and to help keep our neighborhoods vibrant. Chicago must do everything in its power to protect our neighbors from unjust policies. I would support removing the gang database from the ordinance, as ProPublica recently reported that even police have “concerns about its fairness and accuracy.” In addition, I would support changes to the ordinance to ensure that someone who overstays a visa or misses an immigration hearing can not be targeted by our police even if a warrant is issued for their arrest. (Answer cut, exceeded word limit)

Chicago’s Gang Database I oppose the gang database as it exists right now. If Chicago is committed to tracking gang activity, it should done by teams of social workers and advocates, not by police. Any database should be open to public scrutiny in a way that protects the anonymity of the person listed. Any such database also needs to have a well developed appeals process so that people who were unjustly added or who have left gang life behind can clear their names.

Police Community Oversight Board More than half of Chicago residents Chicago don’t trust Chicago Police enough to call them for help, let alone help them do their job This distrust points to a system failure that can only be rectified by changing the culture and mindset of our police. I support real and meaningful reform of the police and the implementation of civilian oversight. GAPA is an imperfect ordinance but it represents positive

progress. I favor CPAC’s approach of cutting the mayor out of police oversight; believe that a meaningful compromise ordinances lies somewhere between CPAC and GAPA.

Fraternal Order of Police Union Contract I have read the police contract, and I completely agree with the CPCA recommendations. There are two additions I support as well: First, Article 6, Section 6.1 D should extend the statute of limitations for reopening past investigations depending on the nature of the complaint. 2. I was unable to find a comprehensive maternity or paternity leave policy in the contract. Our police should be a model for strong parental leave policies by offering a three month paid leave for new parents as well as an additional three months at 60% pay.

Affordable Housing Chicago faces a massive shortage of affordable housing units. This shortage cannot be addressed without the participation of all 77 neighborhoods. As Alderman, I would use Aldermanic Privilege to block housing development over 10 units that do not include 20% affordable units and 30% 3-bedroom units. Under our current Alderman, our ward continues to be saturated with ultra-luxury condos. While we welcome our new neighbors, we are seeing our property taxes skyrocket and rents ratchet up to levels unfamiliar to the Uptown and East Lakeview communities. I would use Aldermanic privilege to rebalance housing in our ward: more specifically, I would encourage the construction of mid-market housing through the approval of building permits and re-zoning. This would ensure the economics of mid-market work for all parties involved.

Two possible steps we can take to ensure housing remains mid-market including removing on-site parking requirements in new developments and inviting innovation in construction methods. There is a growing chorus of planners who believe that parking spaces are being included in housing developments at the expense of more reasonably priced housing. Similarly, these planners believe that, over the next five years, the introduction of autonomous vehicles will drastically change car ownership needs and usage. Our ward currently has relatively low car ownership rates of .5 cars per household. As our ward gets younger, those rates will continue to trend down as the need for lower cost housing increases. I understand the political risks of advocating for fewer parking spaces in new developments, but at the end of the day, lower cost housing for people has to be a higher priority than spaces for cars. Next, adoption of modular construction using prefabricated units has shown to be an effective way to keep costs down. West coast firms such as Blokable, Katerra, and OneBuild have all demonstrated that even in high priced, competitive urban markets they can use modular construction to reduce the cost per square foot of housing. (Answer cut, exceeded word limit)

Poverty, Racism, and Antisemitism As a nonprofit professional, I have spent the last 8 years working to connect young professionals with good jobs in the nonprofit sector, to get on track to complete their college or graduate degree, and to help community organizations across Chicago build their capacity to more effectively serve their communities. While the work of breaking generational cycles of poverty won’t be accomplished in a single generation, with equitable access to quality education and a childhood free from the trauma and stresses of neighborhood violence or housing insecurity we will make substantial inroads. The platform I am running on is built on the understanding that we must do more to ensure that people can afford to, and want to, stay in our community and that we invest in our neighborhood schools. As Alderman, I will prioritize supporting and sustaining our diverse and vibrant community rather than maximizing

developers’ profits.

I am committed to the use of inclusive community benefits agreements. These ensure that when large community projects are proposed, such as the Uptown Theater restoration, that job training, jobs, and community investment are guaranteed for people living in our community. With regard to racism and antisemitism, Andrew Baker Of the American Jewish committee offered thoughtful recommendations for dealing with anti-Semitism in our community. His suggestions that could also be applied to racism, such as when he wrote that we should “acknowledge the sources of anti-Semitism even if it is politically incorrect; target educational programs to those most responsible; protect Jews and Jewish institutions; ...; and continue to battle right-wing extremism.” I have a deep understanding of the systems that reinforce racism and anti-semitism. My work with Public Allies has allowed me to systematically undermine the unconscious hiring biases in the nonprofit world and I am would continue challenging those biases in my work as Alderman.

Did not respond: Jon-Robert McDowell