Accomplishments

Accomplishments – Organization of the Northeast (ONE)

ONE was founded in 1974.  ONE’s first campaign was a successful effort to get the City Colleges to award $1.5 million in construction contracts to local Latino contractors as they built Truman College in the 1970’s.

Additionally, ONE:

• Named Community Organization of the Year in 2001 by the Woods, Weiboldt, New Prospects and The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundations
• Coordinated a long and intense organizing campaign in the early 2000’s that resulted in the Wilson Yard, an award winning housing and shopping development in the center of Uptown with 187 units of affordable family and senior rental housing, along with a community hiring agreement for the construction and the resulting Target;
• Joined with six other community organizations to create the coalition Voices of Youth in Chicago Education (VOYCE.) This coalition has partnered with the Gates Foundation to address the drop out rate in Chicago Public Schools.
• Supported 36 parents and community representatives to be elected to local school councils.
• Provided community school classes to 600 children and 80 parents.
• Established parent mentoring project at five local elementary schools to help over 350 students improve academically.
• Established a $1 Million Transitional Jobs program for community members returning from prison.
• Passed the SMART Act with the Developing Justice Coalition to address recidivism and affects of drugs on community.
• Established North Side Community Support Advisory Council to facilitate reintegration of community members returning to north side from prison.
• Created the New Americans Loan- the first loan program in the U.S. for the citizenship application fee- now a national model.
• Won $200,000 in funding to train and place community members in construction careers.
• Assisted over 200 people in applying for citizenship
• Founding member of the Balanced Development Coalition, which organized a campaign that resulted in the Affordable Requirements Ordinance, a citywide affordable housing set aside.

Accomplishments – Lakeview Action Coalition (LAC)

LAC was founded in 1993.  Over the years, LAC has:

• Forced the Chicago Police Department to implement an improved policy for treatment of transgender detainees in 2102
• Won statewide legislation simplifying and systemizing access to charity care in 2012
• Worked with Senator Durbin to secure a $10 million appropriation to retain affordable housing in buildings like 510 W. Belmont and Ogden Corners
• Won the preservation of the Diplomat SRO, which will soon be redeveloped into affordable supportive housing.
• Won 3 five year renewals, most recently in December 2011, of the Section 8 contract for Lincoln Park Plaza (formerly Rienzi Plaza).  These 148 units of project based section 8 house senior citizens, people with disabilities and many long time Lakeview residents.
• Along with partners in United Power, won the first ever State of Illinois commitment to affordable housing in the capital budget of $145 million in 2009.
• Secured the essential support of the Mayor and local Alderman for the opening of Marah’s place, a transitional housing program run by Deborah’s Place.
• Transformed the Bel-Ray Apartments, a 70 unit SRO building at 3150 North Racine, from a poorly managed hotel to quality low income housing that links tenants to social services and jobs.
• Partnered with the Jane Addams Senior Caucus and Interfaith Housing Development Corporation to create Ruth Shriman House (4040 North Sheridan), a unique 83 unit apartment building for low and moderate income senior citizens.  The building, designed with seniors’ input, opened in 1999.
• Won a mandatory citywide affordable housing set aside ordinance along with partners in the Balanced Development Coalition
• LAC’s Hate Crimes work resulted in the reversal of a Police Department bike policy and the first of its kind late-night bike patrol (patrolling until midnight), and a subsequent 50% reduction in hate crimes in Lakeview and North Center.
• Worked with the Attorney General to pass a statewide policy in early 2006 to systemize bill collections at all hospitals in Illinois.
• Won major reforms including: revised charity care policy (system-wide change), informal moratorium on all lawsuits at IMMC, creation of guidelines for the new policy, better signage and training for staff at Illinois Masonic, and at least one seat for an LAC clergy on IMMC’s charity care committee.
• Brokered a deal to saved 712 W. Diversey as long term affordable housing.
• Formed a new tenants’ union at Belmont Tower, a 276-unit apartment building at 510 W. Belmont Ave., which blocked an attempt by the building’s owner to eliminate affordable Section 8 rents.
• Won the expansion of Cook County Class 9 tax break, an incentive for developers to build or rehab affordable housing. The tax break was formerly only available in low and moderate-income census tracts.
• Played a frontline role through United Power for Action and Justice in the on-going campaign to expand affordable healthcare to low-income families through FamilyCare in Illinois.