Obama Center fuels displacement fears among Woodlawn residents in Chicago
Residents of an old apartment building in Woodlawn have organized to resist potential displacement and rent increases they say are driven by development pressures surrounding the Obama Presidential Center.
Tenants at the Chaney Braggs Apartments rallied earlier this month outside the building near 65th Street and Stony Island Avenue, saying a potential sale of the property could upend the lives of families who have lived there for decades. Fox 32 Chicago reported.
A California-based investor is seeking to buy the building and may renovate or demolish it, according to residents. Tenants say they were offered $2,000 per family to move out, an offer they say is far less than families need to move to a rapidly changing neighborhood.
Obama Presidential Center job listings push ‘anti-racism’ pledge ahead of inauguration
Low-income housing residents’ fear of displacement and rising rents is just the latest criticism of the Obama Presidential Center. (Fox Flight Team, Getty)
Many residents currently pay $700 to $800 a month in rent. Some say they’ve lived in the building for 30 or 40 years and fear they won’t be able to find similar housing in Woodlawn if rents rise or the property is redeveloped.
In response, residents formed a tenants’ union to address the threat of displacement and maintain affordability in the building. They say the union was first formed after the previous owner abandoned the property about two years ago, forcing tenants to organize around basic maintenance and service issues.
Now, residents say the same network is being used to address a bigger challenge: staying in their homes as investment tied to the Obama Presidential Center reshapes the surrounding neighborhood.
A before-and-after aerial drawing shows the impact of the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park, including the removal of Cornell Drive and construction along Stony Island Boulevard. (Fox News)
The apartment building was previously owned by a nonprofit organization committed to providing affordable housing and community stability, tenants said. But without that protection, residents say they are increasingly vulnerable to market pressures that have intensified as construction work continues on the presidential center nearby.
The sale has not been finalized, and the identity of the potential buyer had not been publicly confirmed as of Thursday. Residents say they have contacted city and state officials for help but have not yet received a response.
The standoff highlights broader concerns in Woodlawn, where the Obama Presidential Center brought promises of jobs and investment along with fears of gentrification and displacement. For the tenants of Chaney Braggs Apartments, these concerns became immediate and personal.
He criticized the Obama Presidential Center for promoting a “far-left” agenda on public lands
Residents say they plan to continue organizing while awaiting more information about the building’s future, potential rent increases and whether city officials will intervene.
The Obama Presidential Center, scheduled to open in Chicago South on June 18a 19.3-acre campus in Jackson Park that includes a 225-foot museum tower, a library, and a community forum.
Obama, America’s first black president, celebrates the grand opening of the over-budget building. It’s called an eyesore By Critics – Juneteenth Eve.
Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when Union forces arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed black Americans enslaved there that they were free — more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
Obama Presidential Center wants 100 unpaid volunteers as Valerie Jarrett earns $740,000
The holiday was observed as a celebration of black freedom, resilience, and community, and in recent years has gained broader national significance as a commemoration of emancipation and a reminder of the long struggle for racial justice in the United States.
Obama once described the center as a “gift” to Chicago. It’s a gift that keeps on costing.
A Fox News Digital Investigation It found in February that taxpayers are absorbing hundreds of millions of dollars in public infrastructure costs associated with the project. These expenses include redesigning roads, stormwater systems and relocating utilities needed to support the 19.3-acre campus in Jackson Park. No government agency has provided a full accounting of the total public cost despite months of inquiries and Freedom of Information Act requests.
Click here to download the FOX NEWS app
Initial projections indicate public infrastructure spending of about $350 million will be shared by the City of Chicago and the City of Chicago State of Illinois. Critics now say these commitments have become a significant public burden as the project faces delays and mounting costs.
Fox News’ Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
Post Comment