[Peace] REMINDER: TONIGHT: Gateway evictions - never again!

[Randall Cotton]

Remember, tonight is a regular Champaign City Council meeting with full
public comment - up to 5 minutes per person (unlike last week's "study
session" meeting where public comment is only allowed on specific meeting
agenda items). Myself and others will be speaking to sustain attention on
the issues surrounding the recent sudden ejection of about 100 low-income
residents of Gateway Studios apartments, who suffered what amounts to a
4-day notice of eviction due to negligence and fraud by the landlord.
Questions will be raised and suggestions offered.

Last night, activists speaking at the Urbana City Council meeting won an
agenda item for the Urbana City Council's June 8 "Committee of the Whole"
meeting (analogous to Champaign's "Study Session" meetings). See
News-Gazette coverage of this at:

http://news-gazette.com/news/local/2009/05/19/proposal_for_tenant_assistance_put_on_urbana_agenda

While a similar response tonight from Champaign City Council is extremely
unlikely, it is still important to keep these issues alive, spotlight the
gross injustices that have occurred here, and urge the City to take action
to prevent this kind of thing from happening in the future. Specific
suggestions will be offered based on draft state legislation co-sponsored
by Naomi Jakobsson.

Please join us, either with your presence in support (folks in support may
be asked to stand in solidarity on this issue, or speakers may be
applauded) or with your own spoken comments or testimony. We had about 45
folks at the last City Council meeting and I'm hoping we can approach that
this evening, though with school out now, it will be difficult. A poor
showing may give the impression that interest is dying down.

NOTE: Champaign City Council's "Audience Participation", where citizens
can speak on any topic for up to 5 minutes,  is scheduled toward the END
of council meetings, so though the meeting starts at 7PM (I plan to be
there then), it would be safe to arrive a little later - 7:30, perhaps
7:45.

**If you are pressed for time, I would be happy to give you an estimated
45-minute advance heads-up by phone - give me a call at 722-8470**

I'm including below an updated version of Danielle Chynoweth's recent post
on this issue. Danielle plans to speak tonight as well.

Hope to see you there, especially those of you who are Champaign residents
8-)
R

MORE INFORMATION:

Indymedia Story on Gateway and Autumn Glen Condemnations:
http://www.ucimc.org/content/housing-crisis-rantoul-and-champaign

News Gazette story including our push for relocation Assistance Ordinances
in all area cities:
http://www.news-gazette.com/business/housing/2009/05/14/champaign_reviewing_lessons_from_gateway_studios

WILL Story where Neighborhood Service Director Kevin Jackson says  "I
know, going forward, we want to learn from this to see if there is
something we could do from a local policy standpoint to prevent something
like this from happening again."
http://will.illinois.edu/news/spotstory/gateway-studios-residents-approach-chamapign-council-for-more-help/

Draft language for a Relocation Assistance Ordinance for the cities
(borrowed from state legislation)
"If the City notifies a landlord that a dwelling unit will be condemned or
will be unlawful to occupy due to conditions that violate applicable
codes, statutes or ordinances, the landlord shall pay relocation
assistance to every displaced tenant, unless the condemnation action or no
occupancy order results from a natural disaster or eminent domain. A
tenant whose own illegal conduct caused the need to relocate would not be
entitled to relocation assistance.

The landlord shall pay relocation assistance of $2000 per dwelling unit or
3 times the monthly rent, whichever is greater, plus the deposit, interest
and prepaid rent by certified check within 7 days after the governmental
entity sent the notice to the landlord. If the landlord fails to timely
complete these payments, the City will advance the payments to each
displaced tenant household, and assess a civil penalty of $50 per day
against the landlord for each tenant to whom the City advanced payments
until the date the landlord reimburses the City.

The City may sue to recover the assistance paid, interest, penalties,
attorney's fees, and costs.  Any tenant who brings an action against a
landlord to recover unpaid obligations provided herein shall also be
entitled to recover from the landlord costs and attorney's fees."


JOIN THE EFFORT:

TONIGHT:

Champaign City Council Meeting
this Tuesday, May 19th at 7 pm
City Council Chambers at University and Neil in d'town Champaign
Public input is at the end of the meeting and limited to 5 minutes per
person.

IN JUNE:

Champaign Neighborhood Services Advisory Board
Thursday, June 4th at 5:30pm in Champaign Council Chamber
Discussion of how to prevent a Gateway situation in the future is being
placed on the agenda.


People's Potluck
This regular potluck series is focused on issues of housing, employment,
food, and poverty
Sunday, June 7th from 5:30-8:30pm
Independent Media Center (see location above)


Urbana City Council Committee of the Whole meeting:
Monday, June 8, 7PM, Urbana City Council Chambers
First formal addressing of issues surrounding Gateway Studios by Urbana
City Council

Meeting with Rep. Naomi Jakobsson
Thursday, June 25th at noon
to discuss State Legislation and learn from Naomi's efforts in 2008
(limited space, please contact Danielle if you are interesting in
attending: chyn at ojctech.com)