Housing is a human need — and in the 9th District, too many people are being pushed out of the communities they’ve lived in for decades. Seniors on fixed incomes. Young workers just starting out. Families trying to stay near school and work. I’ve seen it in Evanston, West Ridge, Skokie, and beyond — rents go up, property taxes go up, but wages don’t.
We need policies that treat housing as a foundation for opportunity, not a profit engine for speculators.
Legalize Housing Where Transit Already Exists
- - Inclusive zoning near federally funded transit — not R1-only rules that ban duplexes or apartments
- - Incentives for mixed-income, multi-family housing in walkable areas
- - Transit-oriented development that puts working families, not luxury condos, first
Ban Discrimination Against Multigenerational Households
- - Ban local or private policies that discriminate against multigenerational living
- - Ensure FHA-financed housing does not restrict extended families
- - Expand federal housing definitions to reflect real family structures
Require Flexible-Use Design in Federally Funded Developments
- - New multi-unit FHA-backed buildings must include adaptable design features
- - Encourage intergenerational and aging-in-place compatible units
- - Promote universal design standards across federally supported housing
Convert Underused Offices to Housing — with Federal Help
- - Use federal grants, credits, and loans to convert vacant office buildings into housing
- - Prioritize projects near transit and in high-need areas
- - Coordinate with local governments to streamline conversion approvals
Build and Preserve Affordable Homes — Not Just Talk About It
- - Expand National Housing Trust Fund and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits
- - Support land trusts, co-ops, and non-speculative housing models
- - Fund weatherization and retrofitting for efficiency and long-term affordability
End Displacement and Protect Renters
- - Support a national renters’ bill of rights, including protections from unjust evictions
- - Enforce anti-discrimination laws — including protections for voucher users and multigenerational families
- - Increase access to legal aid for tenants facing eviction or harassment
Support Seniors Aging in Place
- - Expand property tax relief and repair grants for older residents
- - Fund home retrofits for safe aging in place
- - Invest in in-home care options to keep seniors in their communities
Reinvest in Public Housing — and the People Who Live There
- - Fully fund repairs and upgrades to public housing without displacing residents
- - Support resident-led decision-making and accountability
- - Address red tape that makes it harder to bring units up to code — including rigid ADA or modernization standards that, while well-intentioned, sometimes result in units staying vacant for years. We believe in full accessibility and also in practical progress: the goal is more housing that meets more people's needs, not paperwork that stops people from having a home.
Housing is dignity. Housing is stability. Housing is what lets people build a future — and everyone in the 9th deserves a fair shot.
