The Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois has green lit what many others have said they want — and should — do: make reparations to Black residents for the effects of slavery.
And the money that will help the city do that — perhaps fittingly, given the continuing racial divide on weed-related prosecutions and the ongoing fallout from the War on Drugs — will be revenue from cannabis taxes.
On Monday, members of the city council voted 8-1 to take the first step in its previously developed plan to ultimately distribute US$10 million ($12.5 million) to eligible Black households over the next 10 years.
Council members authorized providing US$400,000 ($504,000) in housing assistance and mortgage relief to eligible residents through its Local Reparations Restorative Housing Program. The program accounts for four per cent of total reparations, notes a statement from city council.
Eligible recipients will be able to access as much as US$25,000 ($31,500) for mortgage assistance, down payment help and funding for home improvements.
Moving forward with the program represents the “first steps towards repairing historic harm to the Black and African American community caused by past racial discriminatory housing policies and practices in Evanston, and inaction by the city,” the statement notes.
“While we acknowledge we have a long way to go to repair all of the damages done by racism, we also know this program will make a real and lasting difference in the lives of some of those harmed by past injustices, and will set the stage for additional reparative measures in the future,” says 5th Ward Alderman Robin Rue Simmons.
“This is only a first step, but it is an important one in repairing the historic harm done to our Black and African American community by racial discriminatory practices and ensuring that all Evanston families have the opportunity to build wealth and success across future generations,” adds Mayor Steve Hagerty.
It is anticipated that applications for the program will open sometime this summer.
Why focus on housing? “Reparations, and any process for restorative relief, must connect between the harm imposed and the city,” the city reports.
“The strongest case for reparations by the City of Evanston is in the area of housing, where there is sufficient evidence showing the City’s part in housing discrimination as a result of early City zoning ordinances in place between 1919 and 1969, when the City banned housing discrimination,” it notes.
The program is designed to be a step towards revitalizing, preserving and stabilizing Black/African-American owner-occupied homes in Evanston, increasing homeownership and building the wealth of Black/African-American residents, building intergenerational equity amongst Black/African-American residents and improving the retention rate of Black/African-American homeowners in Evanston, notes city information on the program.
First adopted by the Evanston City Council 2019, the now-passed resolution…
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