Evanston board elects leadership, focuses on protecting renters while implementing Healthy Buildings Ordinance

Benjamin Martin was elected chair and Baxter Swilly vice chair of the City of Evanston’s Healthy Buildings Accountability Board during the panel’s meeting, which also centered on how the city should identify and support “equity prioritized buildings” under the city’s Healthy Buildings Ordinance.

City sustainability staff presented an overview of equity‑prioritized buildings and options to reduce harms to vulnerable renters and nonprofits required to meet the ordinance’s building performance standards. Gabriela Martin, the city’s new sustainability and resilience manager for building programs, warned of possible unintended outcomes: “I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of the word renovictions where perhaps, due to renovations … an owner may say, ‘I’m actually going to sell this…