Mayor Lori Lightfoot claimed a victory for the entire city Wednesday after aldermen approved a Far Northwest Side affordable housing project over the objections of the local alderman, saying the vote is a blow to “the grip of segregation.”
“The precedent that it sets is, there must be affordable housing in every area of our city. I’m all for that,” Lightfoot said after the City Council approved the 297-unit complex east of O’Hare International Airport, including 59 apartments priced below market.
Earlier Wednesday, Ald. Anthony Napolitano cast the precedent differently. He warned his colleagues that by forcing his 41st Ward to accept a development he and his constituents don’t want, they were handing to City Hall future control over all manner of neighborhood projects.
“The biggest problem here is, today, while you’re advocating for a great cause, you’re taking away your right to decide what happens in your ward tomorrow,” Napolitano said.
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The Glenstar O’Hare project has for years been bigger than bricks and mortar.
While for Napolitano, the apartment building north of the Kennedy Expressway near Park Ridge represents loss of local control, for housing advocates it’s a chance to plant a flag deep in the Northwest Side bungalow belt that has for decades been a symbol of resistance to integration.
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Asked Wednesday whether the vote is a win for her in her fight against ward-level aldermanic prerogative — the tradition of aldermen having veto power over projects in their neighborhoods — Lightfoot said that premise misses the point.
Instead, she talked about how the inexpensive apartments close to the airport will help O’Hare workers get to their jobs without having to make long commutes.
Glenstar managing principal Michael Klein said the company has been focused on “getting through the process,” but following Wednesday’s 33-13 vote in favor of the project, they’ll get to work as soon as possible.