Federal officials failed to conduct a required civil rights review to determine whether the deal would meet the Chicago Housing Authority’s obligations under the federal Fair Housing Act, according to the lawsuit.
Stories by Heather Cherone
As Plan for New Stadium in Arlington Heights Stalls, Bears Start Considering New Options
Building a stadium on the former Arlington Heights racetrack “is no longer our singular focus,” said Scott Hagel, the Bears senior vice president of marketing and communications.
Johnson to Fight Ruling That Could Force City Officials to Allow Metal Scrapper to Operate on Southeast Side
A judge’s ruling could force Chicago officials to issue the final permit sought by the parent company of General Iron to operate a metal shredding and recycling operation on Chicago’s Southeast Side.
City Council Votes 34-13 to Spend $51M to Help Care for Migrants After Tension Between Black, Latino Chicagoans Boils Over at Meeting
In all, city officials expect to spend $112 million through the end of June from a combination of state, federal and local funds to feed and shelter the migrants. More than 4,000 recent arrivals from Texas are living in city shelters, leaving another 500 people to sleep on the floor of police stations across the city.
Bill Designed to Revamp Property Tax Sale System That Fueled ‘Urban Decay’ Headed to Governor’s Desk
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas called the legislation “the most significant property tax reform legislation the General Assembly has approved in decades.”
Outdoor Dining Set to Become Permanent Under Proposal That Strengthens Aldermanic Prerogative
“This was one of the silver linings to come out of the pandemic,” Ald. Matt Martin (47th Ward) said.
Outdoor Dining Set to Outlast Pandemic Program That Opened Up Sidewalks, Streets to Food Lovers
Restaurants, bars and cafes would be allowed to serve customers outdoors permanently under a plan backed by Mayor Brandon Johnson. The plan would make the rules designed to help restaurants stay afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic an enduring part of Chicago’s food scene.
More Than 100 Chicago Police Officers Who Lied Were Not Fired, Despite Vows of Zero Tolerance: Watchdog
The audit documented a lack of accountability that undermines efforts to rebuild trust in the Chicago Police Department, Inspector General Deborah Witzburg said.
Vote on Plan to Spend $51M to Help Care for Migrants Blocked
Approximately 784 men, women and children are living on floors in Chicago police stations across the city as of Tuesday, officials said.
Chicago City Council Votes 41-9 to Ratify Johnson’s Picks for Leadership Team
The vote represents a reversal from March 30, when nearly two-thirds of the Chicago City Council voted to approve a declaration of independence — five days before Mayor Brandon Johnson defeated former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas in the runoff.
Mayor Brandon Johnson Faces Trial by Fire at 1st City Council Meeting
When Mayor Brandon Johnson picks up the mayor’s gavel for the first time, he will have been in office for just 10 days — and if he had a brief honeymoon, Wednesday’s meeting of the City Council will signal its end.
Chicago Health Officials Sound Alarm as Mpox Cases Increase
Officials with the Chicago Department of Public Health have documented 29 cases of the virus that can cause intensely painful lesions between April 22 and Tuesday, after recording just five cases between Jan. 1 and April 15, according to city data.
Indicted Former Ald. Carrie Austin Collecting More Than $114K Annual City Pension, Records Show
Former Ald. CarrieAustin is now receiving more than $9,500 per month in pension payments for the rest of her life, according to records obtained by WTTW News from the Municipal Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago. If Austin is convicted, she could lose her pension, since her conduct occurred as part of her official duties as an alderperson.
Chicago to Get Federal Help Fighting Homelessness, Officials Announce
Dubbed the ALL INside initiative, officials with the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, which is made up of 19 federal agencies, vowed to work for two years to get unsheltered people into homes by identifying new funding and bringing together philanthropic and nonprofit groups.
Progressive Group Lays Out Own Plan to Implement Brandon Johnson’s Pledge to Tax the ‘Ultra-Rich,’ Big Corporations
The plan released Wednesday kicks off a debate between progressive political organizations and the mayor they helped elect on how best to achieve the goals they all share.
Chicago Ranks No. 1 in Exonerations for 5th Year in a Row, Accounting for More Than Half of National Total: Report
Cook County recorded 124 overturned convictions in 2022, all but two of those were tied to misconduct by two former Chicago police officers, according to the report.
Brandon Johnson Sworn in As Chicago’s 57th Mayor: ‘There Is Something Special About This City’
Capping an improbable rise and carrying the hopes of a political movement determined to remake Chicago as a more equitable place to live, Brandon Johnson was sworn into office Monday as Chicago’s 57th mayor.
As Brandon Johnson Takes Control of Chicago City Hall, Massive Challenges Await
Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson had just 41 days to put together his administration and lay the foundation to start delivering on his ambitious agenda — the shortest mayoral transition in Chicago history.
Brandon Johnson Commits to Reopening Chicago’s Public Mental Health Clinics Closed 11 Years Ago
“We are going to reopen the mental health clinics,” Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson said in an interview with WTTW News, putting it first in a list of his top priorities.
Analyzing Lori Lightfoot’s Legacy: A Combative Mayor Whose Reform Push Faltered Amid Pandemic Woes, Self-Inflicted Wounds
Lori Lightfoot ends her historic term as the first Black woman and first out gay person to serve as Chicago’s mayor on Monday, leaving a fractured city still struggling to recover from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic that served to spotlight Chicago’s deeply entrenched problems.
53 People Apply to Be Chicago’s Next Police Superintendent: Commission
That represents a significant increase from 2020, the last time Chicago needed a new chief law enforcement officer, when 23 people applied for the job.
Lightfoot Declares State of Emergency as Humanitarian Crisis Posed by Surge of Migrants Accelerates
“We shouldn’t have to come to this point, but here we are,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said. “Even in my final days as mayor it is important that we step up and respond to this burgeoning crisis.”
Lightfoot Bids Farewell, Claiming Credit for ‘Breaking up the Status Quo’ and ‘Planting Seeds’
Mayor Lori Lightfoot appeared to acknowledge that she ends her single term as mayor with work undone. At several points, she claimed credit not for accomplishments, but for “planting seeds” that will lead to the city's transformation into a more equitable place to live.
Johnson Taps Fred Waller, Former High-Ranking CPD Leader, to Serve as Interim Top Cop
Waller will be the third person to lead the Chicago Police Department in less than six months and will immediately be charged with managing the department during the Memorial Day weekend, which typically results an increase in crime and violence.
Johnson to Review Lightfoot’s Plan to Turn Vacant South Shore High School Into Immigrant Shelter
Johnson, who will replace Lightfoot in less than two weeks, said he would consult with the South Shore community before making any final decisions on how to address a renewed surge of immigrants being sent to the city from Texas and other states along the southern border.
Chicago Police Officer Who Chased Anthony Alvarez Before He Was Shot in 2021 Should Be Fired for 2022 Shooting, Report Says
Chicago Police Officer Sammy Encarnacion resigned Wednesday, the same day that results of the probe conducted by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, known as COPA, was released, officials said.
