Unhoused Chicagoans
Salvation Army workers give a homeless man some supplies, including blankets and hand warmers, down on Lower Wacker Drive in February 2021. Courtesy of Tyler LaRiviere / Chicago Sun-Times
Unhoused Chicagoans
Salvation Army workers give a homeless man some supplies, including blankets and hand warmers, down on Lower Wacker Drive in February 2021. Courtesy of Tyler LaRiviere / Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago residents will have the chance to approve a city ordinance that would make changes to the real estate transfer tax. The referendum known as Bring Chicago Home — a key part of the mayor’s agenda to fight homelessness — would change the one-time tax from a flat rate to a marginal three-tiered rate that decreases the tax for homes that sell for less than a million dollars and quadruples the current rate for high-end properties worth more than $1.5 million.

Reset speaks with people organizing for and against the referendum about the next step: convincing voters.

GUESTS: Kennedy Bartley, executive director, United Working Families

Electa Bey, housing outreach coordinator, Communities United

Farzin Parang, executive director, Building Owners and Managers Association Chicago

Unhoused Chicagoans
Salvation Army workers give a homeless man some supplies, including blankets and hand warmers, down on Lower Wacker Drive in February 2021. Courtesy of Tyler LaRiviere / Chicago Sun-Times
Unhoused Chicagoans
Salvation Army workers give a homeless man some supplies, including blankets and hand warmers, down on Lower Wacker Drive in February 2021. Courtesy of Tyler LaRiviere / Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago residents will have the chance to approve a city ordinance that would make changes to the real estate transfer tax. The referendum known as Bring Chicago Home — a key part of the mayor’s agenda to fight homelessness — would change the one-time tax from a flat rate to a marginal three-tiered rate that decreases the tax for homes that sell for less than a million dollars and quadruples the current rate for high-end properties worth more than $1.5 million.

Reset speaks with people organizing for and against the referendum about the next step: convincing voters.

GUESTS: Kennedy Bartley, executive director, United Working Families

Electa Bey, housing outreach coordinator, Communities United

Farzin Parang, executive director, Building Owners and Managers Association Chicago