Evanston could soon begin offering financial assistance to long-term residents under a program City Council is currently considering.
The proposed Property Tax and Rent Circuit Breaker would subsidize property tax or rent for some longtime residents facing housing burdens, said Ald. Clare Kelly (1st), who referred the proposal to City Council in February.
“Many people are chanting the mantra of ‘build affordable housing’ without expressing equal concern for protecting our long-term residents here who are low-income,” Kelly said. “So I really challenge everybody who’s coming out to say, ‘build more affordable housing,’ who aren’t in the same breath concerned about affordability in Evanston and those who are being displaced.”
While much of the program’s scope still hangs in the balance — Kelly said she needs more data and analysis to finalize the proposal — it will likely apply to those who have lived in the city for more than 20 years and fit yet-to-be-determined income and housing cost thresholds.
The funding sources for the program are likewise undecided, though Kelly said the proposal aims not to raise property taxes. The February referral submitted to the city identified three potential sources: the affordable housing funding from Northwestern, sales tax from the new Ryan Field and real estate transfer tax from homes that sell for more than $1 million.
Kelly said the proposal came out of a collaboration with resident and community activist Meleika Gardner. The debates around Envision Evanston 2045 — the sweeping zoning and policy overhaul that has become a flashpoint in city politics — catalyzed the proposal, she added. She said the comprehensive plan gives little consideration to slowing the displacement of current residents.
Gardner, who founded and produces videos on Evanston politics at Where The People Meet TV, said concerns from longtime residents struggling to stay in the community inspired her to pursue a local circuit breaker program.
“In listening to the community over the past decade, one of the top things I would always hear about is people feeling like they can’t afford to age in place here, and that was the plan,” Gardner said.
Since last year, Kelly and Gardner said they have met with residents, community stakeholders and staff members at Cook County’s Assessor’s Office to gather input and data.
Cook County currently offers several forms of property tax exemptions for long-term and senior homeowners. A senior exemption reduces the taxable value of homes by $8,000 for homeowners over 65 years old. A separate “Senior Freeze” program would freeze a home’s taxable value if the homeowner is over 65 and has a household income of $65,000 or less.
About 350,000 homeowners receive the senior exemption, and 130,000 receive the annually renewable Senior Freeze exemption, which is designed to help seniors on fixed income to afford rising property taxes, a spokesperson from the Assessor’s Office told The Daily.
The Illinois General Assembly is also considering a statewide circuit breaker program backed by Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi. Under the program, homeowners who saw their property tax bill increase by 25% or more year over year may be eligible for a grant to cover up to half of the tax spike.
However, Kelly and Gardner said existing programs remain inadequate for Evanston residents. Few Evanston homeowners qualify for the income-restricted Senior Freeze program and none specifically support renters, they said.
When the Evanston circuit breaker proposal came before the city’s Finance and Budget Committee at its March meeting, it received ringing endorsements from several residents during public comment.
In light of potential cuts to federal Department of Housing and Urban Development programs like Section 8 housing vouchers, Evanston resident and landlord Tina Paden said the local program would provide critical aid to low-income residents.
“We must push for the program to get the attention and so that it can go forward,” said resident and recent 2nd Ward council candidate Darlene Cannon at the meeting. “Let’s stand together to keep Evanston livable for everyone.”
But some members of the finance panel appeared skeptical of the proposal. Business executive David Livingston said that as the city’s general fund is in a deficit, the circuit breaker’s funding would likely have to come from budget cuts or an additional property tax levy. Ald. Bobby Burns (5th) also said the discussion around the proposal should be incorporated into the city’s Strategic Housing Plan.
Three councilmembers, Alds. Thomas Suffredin (6th), Eleanor Revelle (7th) and Devon Reid (8th), signed on to Kelly’s original proposal. But with only Suffredin slated to return to office — Revelle has retired from her seat, and Reid lost his reelection bid in the April 1 election — Kelly said she plans to resubmit her referral for the proposal, potentially with support from one of the freshman councilmembers, in the coming weeks.
For Gardner, the circuit breaker program goes beyond a subsidy for Evanston’s neediest residents. Talk of affordable housing often conjures up images of poor families of color who rely on housing vouchers yet misses the fact that residents from all backgrounds and even those of middle income are now being priced out of the city, she said.
“We need housing that people can actually afford, and until we figure that out, let’s help the people who have been here for decades,” Gardner said. “That’s what I thought Evanston is. It is that kind of community that really looks out for each other.”
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— Land Use Commission expects to push plan recommendations to late April
