This land-use bill would help address the shortage of housing stock in big Illinois cities

State Rep. Kam Buckner of Chicago has introduced another land use bill that Illinoisans should support. The bill provides that municipalities with a population of 100,000 or more should allow property owners to have more than one home on a lot. This forward-thinking legislation represents a significant step toward addressing the pressing housing challenges facing our communities and would foster more inclusive and sustainable urban development.

The shortage of affordable housing in Illinois for middle-class families, particularly in the Chicago area, has reached a critical point. New housing in places with access to jobs, opportunities and amenities has not kept up with demand.

Buckner’s bill acknowledges the need for innovative solutions to tackle this issue head-on. By lifting the ban on multifamily housing options in residential zones, the legislation promotes diversity in housing types, catering to the needs of our population.

I believe cities that don’t allow enough housing should not be able to push people to remote areas that have cheaper housing and less access to the things that make our cities great. This sprawl has devastating effects on our agricultural land and natural open space, ultimately increasing the tax burden on municipalities by extending and maintaining utilities to far-flung, lower-density areas.

More often than not, residents of sprawling development have higher transportation costs, according to research by the Center for Neighborhood Technology.

In Houston, America’s fourth-largest city with a lot of sprawling development and limited alternatives to driving, 34.4% of households pay 45% or more of their income just for housing and transportation. In Chicago, on the other hand, only 27.5% of households pay 45% or more of their income on housing and transportation.

Multifamily housing— which could be as little as two homes on a lot — not only provides more affordable options but also promotes a more efficient use of space and resources. By fostering mixed-use development, it’s easier to create and sustain neighborhoods with vibrant retail in walking distance.

Our legislators should recognize the positive impact that allowing multifamily housing can have on affordability, community development and overall urban sustainability. It’s time to embrace progressive measures that will shape a more equitable and prosperous future in Illinois.

Steven Vance, urban planner, South Loop

Support for medical-aid-in-dying bill

I was pleased to see Illinois Senate Bill 3499, the End of Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act, introduced Feb. 9. If passed, this law would finally permit terminally ill Illinois adults to receive prescription medication to peacefully end their unbearable suffering, should they so choose.

If SB 3499 is enacted, Illinois would join the 10 other states (and Washington, D.C.) that already allow medical aid in dying. Such laws have now been in place for more than 25 years, and there have been no substantiated cases of abuse or coercion. A recent poll showed 71% of Illinois residents support this legislation and only 17% oppose it.

Having practiced medicine for the past 35 years, I have been present for hundreds of end-of-life situations. Making this humane option available to terminally ill patients would be a tremendous blessing to many of those patients and their families. All Illinois residents should have access to the merciful care provided by this legislation.

David Gill, M.D., McLean

School resource officers never made our schools safer

When the local school council at my former school, Back of the Yards College Prep, decided to remove school resource officers in a 6-5 vote back in 2020, it was hotly debated. Some educators and parents feared that removing SROs would make violence more likely. The assumption was that students would be less safe without an armed guard in the building. Four years later, Back of the Yards College Prep students are no less safe, and the school is thriving, as at the 16 other schools that decided to remove SROs in 2020. Most important, instead of police patrolling the halls, this school now has a full-time social worker and restorative justice coordinator to help students navigate conflict and engage in restorative practices.

The debate in 2020 at Back of the Yards College Prep mirrors the citywide discussion of the Chicago Board of Education’s decision to discontinue SROs in the 39 high schools that still employ them. Removing SROs is something Black and brown youth organizers have been fighting to enact for years as part of the CopsOutCPS campaign, which the Chicago Teachers Union was proud to support.

We are also grateful for Mayor Brandon Johnson and the board, who listened to young people in making this resolution a reality. Discipline initiated by SROs has a disparate impact on students of color, particularly Black students. According to a report released by #CopsOutCPS, police assigned to CPS schools and their supervisors “have a combined total of 2,354 misconduct complaint records on file against them.”

CTU members know that simply removing police officers is not sufficient to reduce harm. We have submitted a demand, as part of our upcoming contract negotiation, to bargain for additional trauma supports, restorative practice training, personnel, and holistic safety practices.

Our members will continue to advocate for resources to make every school a place where students are safe and able to thrive, from prioritizing Black Lives Matter at School Week to advocating for Sustainable Community Schools. The board’s decision opens doors for a historic opportunity to reimagine safety and security for all Chicago students.

Jackson Potter, vice president, Chicago Teachers Union