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YMCA and local housing advocates press council to move zoning and ARPA dollars toward affordable housing
Summary
Public commenters, including McGaw YMCA leaders and housing advocates, urged the council to approve a zoning consultant and reallocate ARPA funds to support a $22.5 million men's residence; Jesse Chats said the capital campaign has raised $15.1 million to date.
Representatives of the McGaw YMCA and community housing advocates used public comment to urge the City of Evanston to move quickly on zoning reform and to reallocate federal ARPA funding to support affordable housing construction.
Jesse Chats, chief of staff at the McGaw YMCA, told council the men's residence has a wait list of more than 100 and that the organization's capital campaign has raised $15,100,000 toward a $22,500,000 goal — about $3,000,000 short of an 80% fundraising milestone needed to begin construction. "We have tremendous momentum and now just $3,000,000 away from reaching our 80% fundraising milestone that will allow us to begin construction," Chats said.
Other commenters — including representatives of Design Evanston, neighborhood residents, and community coalitions — urged council to authorize a zoning consultant and to ensure robust community engagement during any code rewrite, citing displacement and affordability concerns. Council's discussion of the zoning consultant was left held pending additional staff work and procurement review.
