December 14, 2016

Honorable Marvin E. Aspen

United States District Court

Re: Case No.: 1:66cv01459, Lathrop Homes

The 32nd Ward boundary includes four existing residential buildings at Lathrop Homes. In addition, I
represent all the residential neighborhoods that surround the site. My office has been involved in the
planning process, regularly attending Lathrop Working Group meetings, hosting meetings with
neighborhood community organizations specifically addressing Lathrop, and communicating with
constituents. The constituents I represent have a significant interest in the redevelopment of Lathrop
Homes.

I am writing to convey my concerns about the Chicago Housing Authoritys (CHA) refusal to identify
"replacement" units for the planned decrease of 524 public housing units at Lathrop Homes. It is
evident that the reason the CHA is breaking with prior protocol and not jointly, with the plaintiff,
asking for the courts approval for the reduction in General Area Dwelling Units at Lathrop Homes is
because they seek to avoid any legal definition of what will constitute replacement units. The absence
of such a definition would provide the CHA the latitude to count all project based units, senior units,
and others built in General Areas, as defined by the court, henceforth as "replacement" units for
Lathrop.

The City's updated Affordable Requirement Ordinance (ARO), effective as of October 13, 2015, allows
developers, for the first time, to meet their affordable housing requirement via the use of CHA project
based units. The City requires developers to build these affordable units or contribute to a fund
established to create affordable units. Allowing project based units built to meet the ARO requirement
to be counted as replacements for units that are eliminated at Lathrop unquestionably constitutes double
counting of such units, with the result being that no net new units will be built to replace those lost at
Lathrop. These ARO units will be built regardless of what happens at Lathrop. The intent of the Citys
ARO is to increase the supply of affordable housing in the City, not to provide a means to substitute
project based voucher units for long-term public housing units.

The decision to reduce the number of public housing units at Lathrop from 925 to 401 with no approved
and funded plan to replace them is just that, a decision to eliminate those 524 units. This decision, in
lieu of an approved and funded plan for replacement units, is completely contradictory to both the intent
and the language in the Gautreaux decision and can only be accurately interpreted as a conscious
decision to reduce the number of General Area Dwelling Units.
I urge the court to impose a definition of what constitutes replacement units at Lathrop and establish a
court mandate for ensuring that the planned renovation of Lathrop Homes does not result in a net
decrease in the number of General Area Dwelling Units. This mandate should include a precise
definition of what constitutes replacement units consistent with the intent of the Gautreaux decision and
a prohibition against the demolition of any housing units at Lathrop until construction of or conversion
to appropriate replacement General Area Dwelling Units is underway. Thank you for considering my
views on this matter and for your continued service on this important case.

Sincerely,

Scott Waguespack
Alderman 32nd Ward