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3 candidates vie for Brandon Johnson’s former county seat

In the 7th Congressional district, the Democratic primary ballot remains up in the air By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

All candidates for Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson’s old seat on the Cook County Board of Commissioners are poised to survive legal challenges and stay on the ballot. However, it’s not clear how many Democratic candidates will end up challenging U.S. Representative Danny Davis (D-7). Three candidates filed to run for Johnson’s old

ALSO SEE CITY ELECTION ON PAGE 6

See COUNTY ELECTION on page 4

PROVIDED

Anthony Jefferson and his son on his graduation from Lincoln Tech.

Foundation offers help to seal and expunge criminal records The goal is to help formerly incarcerated people get a successful second chance

By AMINA SERGAZINA Staff Reporter

Austin native Anthony Jefferson was convicted for drug possession a decade ago, and despite serving his time in jail, completing probation, and gradu-

WS ! NEF H S A L

ating from college, that record denied him high-paying jobs he otherwise qualified for. Jefferson, a veteran, said he made a 180-degree turn in his life, applied to colSee MONROE FOUNDATION on page 9

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2 Austin Weekly News, January 10, 2024 Note from the Publisher

Our readers step up as GCM beats $250K goal As 2024 begins, all of us at Growing Community Media have nothing but gratitude to our readers who helped us reach and exceed our ambitious year-end fundraising goal of $250,000. This is, by far, our largest campaign ever and it sets the stage for a strong 2024 in our nonprofit newsroom. Nearly 900 of our neighbors made an investment in GCM during our three-month effort. Here is the list. Deb & Tom Abrahamson* Jim & Rose Adamec Kimberly Adami-Hasegawa Jahred Adelman Susan Adler Paul Aeschleman Jeffrey Weissglass & Jeanne Affelder Skyler Aikerson Jill & erson Leland & erson Mamie & ry Doris Angell Ann & Gene Armstrong Michelle Arnold Laverne Arp Roberta Asher Associated Bank N.A. Fund, a fund of the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation Babou Fund at Schwab Charitable Cecelia Bacom Carolyn Baird Nick Baker Karen & Mike Baldwin Kathryn Balk Judy Banks-Johnson Timothy Bannon Todd Bannor David Barker Brad Bartels Katherine Bateman Jean Baugh James Baum Sandra Baumgardner Marion & Jonathan Baumgarten Mary Beach Susan Beach Debbie Becker Paul & Leah Beckwith Jordis Bednar Stephan Benzkofer Jean Berg Lin Beribak Linda Bernat Nancy Bernhardt Ruth Bernhardt Annie Berni

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Austin Weekly News, January 10, 2024

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Paul Oppenheim Bridget Optholt Karen Osborne Donna Oswald Jewel Otten Elizabeth Overland Kathryn Owens Lorraine Owles Jennifer Packheiser Barbara Pagniucci Lynne Palmore John-Paul Paonessa Allen & Georga Parchem Dan Parker Steven Parker Susan Parker Robert & Susan Parks Elizabeth Parsons Barbara Paterick John Patrick Julie Patterson Libbey Paul Beth Pecenka Mary Pellegrini Pamela Penney Jeanne Peppler Priscilla Perkins Janet Perryman William Peterman David Peterson Lauren Peterson Joan & Jeffery Petertil Edward Petrick James Petrzilka Sharon Phillips Diane Pickard-Richardson Liz Picone Danielle Pierro Susan Piha Thomas Pivarski Mary Plunkett James Podraza Mike & Lynette Poirier Mike Poleski Frank Pond Al Popowits Joyce Porter Mary Ann Porucznik Deborah Postlewait Teresa Powell* Aldona Prackaila Margaret Prechel James Prescott Allison Price Marvin Price Paul Price Margaret Provost-Fyfe James Pryor Lorelei Przybylski Susan Purdie Susan Quinn The Quinn Pasin Family Philanthropic Fund R.P. Fox & Associates Inc. Joan Radovich

N. Raftery Brenda Rakers Carol Rao Constance S. Rapps Diane Ratekin & Tom Yates Edward Rausch Shirley Redmond Nancy Reed Vicky Rehill David Reisberg Frederick Reklau Ruth Reko Mary Reynolds Lisa Ridolfi Gayle Riedmann Peter Rijks Elizabeth Ritzenthaler John & Katie Roberts Susan Roberts Cyndi Robinson Patrice Roche Andy Rodriguez George Rogers Katharine Roller Ron Roman Anne Rooney Alice Rose Lindsey Roseen Diana Rosenbrock Amy Rosenthal Barbara Rossa Jennifer Royer Karen Rozmus Mark Ruda Dolores Ruffolo Kathy Russell Ann Marie Ryan Michael & Linda Ryan Steven Spiewak & Beradette Ryan Paul Sakol Susan Saliny Glenn Sameshima Silvana Santilli Marian & Bob Sassetti-Kent Steve Saylors Meredith Schacht Carol Schaffer Mike Schech Lynn Scheir James Scherrer Marianne & David Schiavone Abby Schmelling Tyler Schofield Thomas Schouten Robert W. Schramek Janet Schroeder Jeff & Linda Schroeder Kathleen Schroer Dale Schuette Rich Schuler James Schwartz Laurie Schwartz Sylvie Schwartz

Schwarzbach Family Foundation Mark Scott Norah Scott Judith Scully Sear’s Pharmacy G R Segal Sandra Seim Benjamin Sells Dorothy Seman Clancy Senechalle Robert Senechalle Lisa & Jason Sensat Lynda & Paul Shadrake Rupa Shah Matthew Shanahan Joel Sherr Darnell Shields* Louis Shorr Brendan Short Renee Sichlau Nancy Sidman Mary Pat Sieck Brooke Sievers Kimberly Silver Dawne Simmons Peggy Sinko Victor Skade Renee Slade Joan Slanina Diane Slezak Helene Slowik Adrienne Smith Barbara Smith Chris Smith Leslie Smith Mary Kate Smith Mike Smolarek Louise Snyder Edward Solan James Soldat Joan Soldwisch Jacqueline Solfronk Sheila Solomon* Alec Harris & Carollina Song Gisela Sonka Doug & Martha Sorensen Sharon Spooner Susan Sporte* Rachel Stark Amy Stearns Michael Stefanik Ruth Stefl Heather Stelnicki Louise Stevens Jill & Dave Stewart Linda Stewart Max Stewart Gary & Maura Stockmann Laurie Stokes Isaac Stopeck Joni Strand Riverside Strategies Maureen Stratton Kirsten Straughan

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4 Austin Weekly News, January 10, 2024

COUNTY ELECTION Objections abound from page 1 seat. Zerlina Smith-Members and incumbent Tara Stamps are running for the Democratic Party nomination, with the winner facing Libertarian Party candidate James Humay in the general election. Davis is facing off against Kina Collins, who challenged him in 2020 and 2022, earning a respectable 45% of the vote to Davis’ 52% the second time. Other candidates who filed to run for the Democratic primary included Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears Ervin, former Democratic Party campaign operative Kouri Marshall, teacher Nikhil Bhatia and Rhonda MELISSA CONYEARS Sherrod. Chad KopERVIN pie is running as a Republican. All three candidates vying for the county board seat faced objections. The Cook County Electoral Board has voted to keep Stamps and Humay on the ballot, and Frank Tedesso, KINA COLLINS the hearing officer overseeing the Smith-Members case, recommended keeping her on the ballot as well, finding that she had enough valid signatures to keep her above the legal minimum. All 7th congresKOURI MARSHALL sional district Democratic candidates except Conyears-Ervin faced objections. On Jan. 5, Chicago Board of Election Commissioners voted to remove Sherrod because she submitted fewer signatures than legally required, and Davis remained on the ballot after the objection against him was withdrawn, But Marshall’s, Collins’ and Bhatia’s cases still haven’t been ruled on as of Jan. 8.

When candidates run for a political office, any registered voter within the district they are running for can challenge their candidacy. They usually try to invalidate enough signatures on the nominating petitions to put the candidate below the legally required minimum, but some objections get more elaborate.

Cook County Board When Johnson gave up his seat on the county board, Smith-Members and Stamps were among the six finalists who vied to be appointed to his seat until the 2024 election. Both candidates said at the time that if they weren’t selected, they would run to serve the remaining two years of his term. Smith-Members’ husband, Antoine TARA STAMPS Members, filed objections against incumbent Tara Stamps and Libertarian Party candidate James Humay. On Jan. 4, the Cook County Electoral Board unanimously voted to throw out both objections because they didn’t ZERLINA follow the proper SMITH-MEMBERS legally required format and because Members didn’t show up for any of the hearings on the objections. Latrice Whitfield, of Oak Park, filed an objection against Smith-Members. In addition to challenging signatures, she argued that the way the petitions were labeled should get all the signatures thrown out. The signature sheets stated that SmithMembers was seeking a full term rather than a half-term. During the Dec. 26, 2023 hearing, SmithMembers’ attorney, Andrew Finko, argued that, since the 1st District seat is the only Cook County Board seat being contested, there is no chance that the voters might be confused about what his client is running for. Tedesso sided with Finko. During the Jan. 5 hearing, Whitfield’s attorney Steve Fine argued that the fact that the county election officials struck 75% of Smith-Members’ signatures, and

the fact that many sheets Smith-Members Conyears-Ervin’s notarized continued clearly fake names husband, Ald. Jalike “Cheeseburger” suggested a “pattern son Ervin (28th), of fraud” and asked that the board hold a when he ran for rehearing. Finko responded by arguing that election in 2023. Fine failed to prove fraud, and that election The duo objected officials shouldn’t be considering it be- to Davis’ statement cause it wasn’t part of Whitfield’s original of candidacy, argucomplainant. ing that it wasn’t “The strongest concern for me is due pro- properly filled out cess,” he said. “This was coming out of the – only to withdraw DANNY DAVIS left field.” their challenge Dec. Fine responded that the allegations of 28. With Sherrod, fraud came out of the issues they raised they pointed to the fact that she only subin the original objection and argued that mitted 809 signatures – 12 signatures fewer the evidence was too strong for the elec- than the legal minimum. For the other tion board to dismiss altogether. candidates, they filed the standard invalid “The board has a duty to signatures objections. voters to sort through the Hearing officer Mathevidence and give voters an ias Delort found the obopportunity to have a fair jection against Sherrod to be valid. She appealed election, to have qualified the recommendation, candidates appear on the but didn’t show up at the ballot,” he said. Jan. 5 board of elections Tedesso said that from what Fine presented, he meeting to make her case, saw no evidence “that leading the board to rule there’s actually fraud inagainst her. KOURI MARSHALL volved, and not just sloppy Sherrod didn’t respond 7th district candidate canvasing work.” Since to a request for comment

“It’s very undemocratic. I think we should be focusing of inclusion; this is a process that has excluded so many people.”

he didn’t find other arguments persuasive, he said he would recommend keeping Smith-Members on the ballot. “Next time, plead in your original petition when you have that many objections,” Tedesso added. The electoral board will still need to vote on the issue. Smith-Members said that she was looking forward to campaigning against Stamps. “I’m a fighter and I’m going to continue to fight for democracy and the right leadership,” she said.

by the deadline. Marshall said that as of Jan. 5, the election board kept enough signatures to put him 10% above the legal minimum, so he was confident that he would prevail. But he said that he was frustrated with the entire process. “It’s very undemocratic,” Marshall said. “I think we should be focusing of inclusion; this is a process that has excluded so many people.” The primary election will take place March 19, and the general election will take place Nov. 5.

7th Congressional District Davis, whose district includes much of the West Side and west suburban Oak Park and Forest Park, is serving his 13th term in Congress. He flirted with not running this time, only to change his mind. ConyearsErvin, who said she would only run if Davis didn’t, stayed in the race. Emma Jean Robinson, of Austin, and Kathy Davis, of East Garfield Park, filed objections against every candidate who filed to run in the Democratic primary except Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin. Robinson had filed objections against three candidates who challenged

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Austin Weekly News, January 10, 2024

Chicago faith leaders host brunch to address drug use with compassion Free brunch and educational presentations By AMINA SERGAZINA Staff Reporter

Local Chicago organizations and faith leaders will hold a faith leaders’ brunch to discuss the drug use issue in the community through a lens of compassion. The goal of this event is to educate people to better understand the substance use issue and to foster a more compassionate

conversation around this topic. “Substance use disorder has been cast as an issue of morality when it shouldn’t be,” said Fanya Burford-Berry, director of the West Side Heroin and Opioid Task Force and a pastor. The free event will be held Saturday, Jan. 27, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will feature an eggs and bacon brunch provided by Splyt\n/Half restaurant. The event is organized by Rev. Dr. Charles Brown, Emergent, Rush Substance Use Disorder Center of Excellence, Chicago Department of Public Health, Westside ROSC Council, South Side Heroin/Opioid

Task Force, Splyt\n/Half, Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center, and West Side Heroin and Opioid Task Force. During the event, there will be presentations about harm reduction, removing the stigma around drug use, educating people about the medical terminology of drug use, and preventing the use of harmful language around drug use. Burford-Berry said while they do not condone drug use, they are committed to addressing the issue with empathy rather than judgment. To RSVP for the event, follow this link: https://ow.ly/JmRC50QoTHq.

MLK day of service focuses on opioid crisis Volunteers will blanket the community with harm-reduction supplies and information By AMINA SERGAZINA

news

Editor Erika Hobbs Staff Reporters Amina Sergazina, Igor Studenkov, Amaris Rodriguez Special projects reporter Delaney Nelson Digital Manager Stacy Coleman Digital Media Coordinator Brooke Duncan Reporting Partners Block Club, Austin Talks Columnists Arlene Jones, Aisha Oliver Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Sales & Marketing Representatives Lourdes Nicholls, Ben Stumpe Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner Publisher Dan Haley Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

Staff Reporter

The 17th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Family Health Challenge day of service will focus on the opioid crisis in the Austin neighborhood. The event, held Monday Jan. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., is designed to commemorate his legacy with community outreach themed “treatment, not trauma.” The event is organized by the State representative La Shawn K. Ford, Healthcare Alternative Systems, Cook County Public Health, Department of Human Services, Edna’s Circle, Humboldt Park Health, Way Back Inn, Haymarket Center, WestCare and West Side Heroin and Opioid Task Force. During the event, people will be given instructions on how to reverse overdose, as well as local resources for mental health because drug use and mental health issues go hand in hand, said director of West Side Heroin and Opioid Task Force Rev. Fanya Burford-Berry The event will include over 100 volunteers that are aiming to knock on 500 doors in the Austin neighborhood and distribute 500 Narcan dispensers to the community. Afterward, the Narcan distribution volunteers will come together to debrief. “A lot of people don’t quite understand the

AUSTIN WEEKLY

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Steve Edwards, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer

opioid crisis in our community; there are actually more people [who] die of accidental overdoses in our community than gun violence and car accidents, “ said Burford-Berry. “It’s important for people to open up the door to us because overdoses are preventable.” According to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, statistics show that West Side communities accounted for about 36% of the city’s emergency re-

sponse calls to opioid overdose emergencies. The volunteers will be given a script and specific routes to cover Austin streets. They will not only provide Narcan but resources for drug usage crisis and mental health crisis as well as other resources available to the community. The event will be held at 4734 W. Chicago Ave. on King’s birthday. RSVP by scanning the QR code.

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6 Austin Weekly News, January 10, 2024

Ward committee races offer no ballot options The 29th and 24th ward candidates challenging incumbents either quit or got removed from ballot

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

While the West Side ward committeeperson races were originally shaping up to be unusually competitive, objections against candidates wiped the field clean. They help to organize campaigns and when an elected office held by a member of their party becomes vacant, offices vote to appoint replacements. On the West Side, those races tend to be low-stakes affairs – aldermen run unopposed for Democratic committee offices in their wards, and some wards are lucky to get even one Republican candidate. The committeepersons are elected during the regularly scheduled March 19 primary election. Originally, the 29th Ward was competitive on both sides of the aisle, with two of Ald. Chris Taliaferro’s previous C.B. JOHNSON city council election opponents, C.B. Johnson and Zerlina Smith-Members, running against him on the Democratic side, and Antoine Members, Smith-Members’ husband, challenging incumbent Walter Adamczyk on the Republican side. In the 24th Ward, Larry G. Nelson challenged incumbent Ald. Monique Scott for the Democratic

had no idea her husband was candidate who challenged Michael Scott in seat, while two Republicans running until he showed her 2019, objected to Nelson this time around. competed for the 27th Ward the nominating petitions. According to Chicago election board seat. But all those candidates Adamczyk objected to Mem- spokesperson Max Bever, Nelson didn’t faced objections, and most bers’ nominating petitions, show up for the initial Dec. 18 hearing. ended up either quitting the while Ollie Turner, of Austin, “[He] has since not made any contact races or getting removed from filed objections against both with the Electoral Board despite having the ballot – leaving every race Johnson and Smith-Members. been served with notice of the hearing,” noncompetitive. Members quit fairly early in the he said. When a candidate files to process, while Smith-Members Under the Chicago election code, this run for office, any registered withdrew her candidacy on the was grounds for removing the candidate voter within the district they MONIQUE SCOTT morning of Jan. 3. Smith-Mem- from the ballot. The election board made are running for has a right to bers said that they both decided that official Jan. 5. object. There is nothing in the Neither of the 28th Ward races is comelection code that prevents voters con- to quit to focus on her candidacy for Cook petitive, with Ald. Jason Ervin (28th) and nected to one of the candidate’s oppo- County Commissioner. The Chicago Board of Election Commis- business owner Tamiko Holt running nents, or even the opponents themselves, for Democrat and Republifrom filing objec- sioners voted to remove Johncan seats, respectively. Starr tions. Most of the son from the ballot during its Kemp, of West Garfield Park, time, objections Jan. 5 meeting. Nelson’s history in the 24th objected to Holt’s candidacy. try to invalidate But Bever said that he didn’t signatures on the ward politics is long and spans show up for the initial hearnominating peti- both parties. He worked for ing or respond to the election tions to bring the then-24th Ward Ald. Michael board’s subsequent outreach number below the Chandler in 1995 to 2002 and – which, under the election legal minimum, then in 2007 to 2015, but he code, rendered the objection which is why can- also served as the ward’s Remoot. The election board made didates usually try publican committeeperson in TAMIKO HOLT it official on Jan. 5. to collect at least 2008 to 2019. When Chandler’s ZERLINA successor, Michael Scott, reIn the 27th Ward, Kimberly three times more SMITH-MEMBERS Saunders and Stephen Boulton were runsignatures than le- signed, Nelson applied to fill the vacancy, only for then-mayor Lori ning to fill the seat that has been vacant gally required. In the 29th Ward, Johnson ran against Lightfoot to appoint Scott’s sister, Mo- since April 2023, when incumbent Mark Taliaferro for alderman in 2023, while nique Scott. Nelson ran for the seat in Spognardi died. Boulton objected to SaunSmith-Members ran for the seat in 2015 2023, but he didn’t get enough votes to ders’ petitions, while Roderick R. Jones of Old Town objected to Boulton’s. The and 2019. Members ran for several offices even make the runoff. No one filed to run for 24th Ward Re- electoral board voted to side with Boulton as a Republican in the past, but this was on his objection against Saunders, kickhis first attempt to run for a West Side of- publican committeeperson this year. Inglesa Toney, who objected to every ing her off the ballot. fice. Smith-Members has claimed that she

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Austin Weekly News, January 10, 2024

That chirping sound

got home late the other evening. I was tired and after doing whatever I had to do in the kitchen, all I really wanted to do was go to bed. I cut off the lights and began climbing the stairs. That’s when I heard it. The distinctive sound of a bird chirping. Chirp! Followed by about a 10-second delay and then again chirp. Now I am proud of my hearing. And the first thing I thought was: what kind of bird is chirping/tweeting at night? Most birds normally go to sleep. I went into my bedroom and I heard it again. That was really disturbing. The sound gave me the impression it was coming from outside, so I went out on my deck. I heard it again. I walked to the north and the south ends of the deck, but I couldn’t see anything. Plus it was cold. So if there was a nest somewhere, I wasn’t about to try to address it in the dark. But once I returned into my bedroom, there it went again. Chirp ... chirp ... chirp. Now that was disturbing. I have vaulted ceilings. A couple of months ago I had the roofer come by because I had experienced some water coming in by the skylight. So the thought that there might have been a hole big enough for a bird to get into was making me anxious. How difficult would it be to find the nest? And, what kind of cost would I be looking at? I walked into the bathroom and I again heard it even more distinctly. Chirp ... chirp. The bathroom does have an attic space above it. That sound coming from there convinced me even more that somehow a bird had gotten into the attic and built a nest with possibly a bunch of baby birds. I can be somewhat of a brave soul. However, there was no way I was going to go into the attic to discover if there was a problem. I began to imagine failures of the roof exhaust vents that would allow a small bird to squeeze under. I also didn’t want to be up on a ladder swatting against a flying critter protecting their young. I stood there and began to think of people to contact who deal with wild animal pests. I was prepared to put a post in a Facebook repair group to find a handyman to handle the situation.

I’m not going to lie. My mind started thinking of not only the dollar signs that it would cost for the man to locate this bird, but also to figure out how it could have gotten inside. I began to envision him needing to punch holes in various places looking for the source of the tweeting sound since it seemed to be wherever I went. I went back into my bedroom and sat on the bed. I heard it again. Chirp ... chirp ... chirp. It sounded like it was coming from outside the windows that face south. My next-door neighbor has an apartment in her attic and she had just let her niece live there. I was tempted to send her a text and ask if her niece had a bird? At least it would account for the high-pitched chirping sound coming from outside the window. But looking at the hour, it was rather late. It would have to wait until morning. I heard the sound again. Chirp ... chirp. Years ago there was a nest between the gutter and the exterior brick wall on that side. Maybe there was a new one and I just hadn’t noticed it. I returned to the bathroom and took out my contact lenses. I heard the sound again. Chirp ... chirp. I began to question if there might be more than one bird and one nest since the sound seemed to be everywhere. I climbed in bed and pulled out my phone to play another session of Traffic Escape, an addictive game where you have to get the cars out of the traffic jam. I had just installed it a couple of days ago and immediately became obsessed with playing it. The vrrroom of the cars as they moved, along with the realistic crash sound when they collided had enthralled me. The game would surely distract me from my problem. Since my contact lenses were out, I held the phone in my hand close to my face. Then I heard the distinctive chirping sound again. I put the phone to my ear and sure enough that realistic chirping was emanating from the phone as a background sound to the game when it was in standby mode! And because the phone had been in my hoodie front pocket, wherever I went, the chirping went! Modern technology … yikes!

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Austin Weekly News, January 10, 2024

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

A step backward for educational equity As a lifelong Austin resident and education advocate, recent developments (“Chicago could move away from school choice. Here’s what that means for parents and students”) at Chicago Public Schools (CPS) under Mayor Brandon Johnson have me deeply concerned. His proposal to eliminate school choice from CPS not only risks undermining the academic future of many students, particularly Black children, but also disregards the voices of parents and community members. As a parent who navigated the CPS system in the 1990s, I witnessed firsthand the benefits of school choice. I can attest to the important role that choice played in my five sons’ academic and professional achievements. Despite working at Byford (now Brunson) Elementary School, I chose to seek better opportunities for my children due to the school’s inadequate leadership and financial mismanagement. This decision, while difficult, allowed my children to access programs and resources unavailable at our neighborhood school. My sons’ achievements are a testament to the effectiveness of school choice: one graduated with honors from Simeon, two from Westinghouse, and two from Lindblom with honors. Four of them went on to become college graduates, with three earning degrees in engineering. School choice undeniably had a profound positive effect on their academic and professional lives. To be clear: I am a staunch advocate for better-resourced neighborhood schools. However, this should not come at the cost of restricting families to only their neighborhood option. Families deserve the freedom to seek the best educational fit for their children, especially when neighborhood options fall short. Currently, just 1 in 3 Black CPS students attend their neighborhood school. The Mayor’s decision to “transition away” from school choice, made without consulting families or communities, would disproportionately affect Black students, potentially exacerbating existing disparities. School choice has undeniably been a key driver in the advancement of Black students for several decades. The potential elimination of our city’s choice system, therefore, poses a threat to the educational future of Chicago’s Black children. I strongly urge Mayor Johnson and the CPS board to reconsider their decision. Any decision to limit families’ choices, especially without community engagement, is not only a step backward for educational equity but also a direct threat to the potential of our city’s youth, particularly those in Black communities.

Cata P. Truss

Chicago Cata Truss is the wife of former Chicago Board of Education member Dwayne Truss

MONROE FOUNDATION Paths forward from page 1 lege and pursued his passion. He graduated in the top 5% of his class from Lincoln Tech with a degree in applied science. Despite his passion for learning how things work from the inside, his criminal record devastated him when it prevented him from securing a high-paying position. “It makes me angry because you put in the hard work and the time to better yourself, you go to school, you stay out of trouble and you think this much time went by that it wouldn’t be a big deal,” Jefferson said. “It’s the only thing that’s being held over my head that’s closing the door, that was years ago, since then I did everything that was asked of me and more but that’s still stopping me, it didn’t make sense to me.” But Jefferson got new hope. Since last summer, he has been working with the Monroe Foundation, a nonprofit community and enterprise development intermediary. Because Jefferson’s case is nonviolent, they are showing him he may have a chance of getting his record cleared. “It motivates me to keep pushing forward, before I was angry, I was about to give up,” Jefferson said. Others in his situation may find similar hope. The Monroe Foundation held a planning session on Jan. 8 for a workshop that will happen later this month that will teach formerly incarcerated people what options going forward may be. For example, it assists individuals with criminal records with obtaining copies of their rap sheets, police documents listing an individual’s criminal history, including arrests and charges. This document can be used by the individual to review, correct or update their personal record. Otis Monroe, founder of the Monroe Foundation, said that during the process, the foundation covers the application fee, provides transportation to the Chicago Police Department and retrieves rap sheets themselves. Monroe emphasized the latter because, he said, there were many occasions when people had an outstanding warrant that they were unaware of and got arrested when picking up their rap sheet. They aim to avoid that happening. “We’re looking at how can we help entire households where almost everybody, if not everyone in that entire household has had some contact with the criminal judicial system,” Monroe said. “I don’t say “criminal justice” because often there’s no justice and how those individuals were criminally charged or arrested.” He said the Monroe Foundation has seen success in Englewood and has helped more than 150 people clear their records over the past two years. Now, they aim to assist Austin residents, Monroe said. They also focus on helping find record-friendly employment opportunities, and are seeking partners to assist with that. They plan to host an event with employment opportunities this June, according to Monroe. One of the main goals of Monday’s planning meeting is to teach people whether and how to seal or expunge their records. To do that, they first need to

obtain their rap sheets, and then apply for the best option. The application will be reviewed by the judge, who will make the decision. Although the records may be sealed, they can still be accessed by law enforcement agencies, certain government agencies and the courts. However, most employers, landlords and others conducting a background check would not be able to see these records. The process of sealing or expunging records is not easy and can take up to three years. The Monroe Foundation is advocating for this period to be reduced to one year, which would significantly help individuals like Jefferson in moving forward with their lives. In Jefferson’s case, he said he returned from the military to Austin, and he saw some of his friends who were selling drugs and had new cars and lots of money. He acknowledged he was jealous of that lifestyle and that led him into drug dealing. He said he knew that it was wrong but now he turned his life around and is trying to move forward. Yet his story is a testament to the power of second chances and the importance of resources like the Monroe Foundation, he and others said. Despite the challenges he has faced, Jefferson remains hopeful and committed to creating a better future for himself and others in similar situations. “For somebody to say, ‘we can help you’ that makes it a little better,” Jefferson said. Monday’s planning meeting was held at 1 p.m. at His and Hers Barber School at 5355 W. Madison St. A full event will be held later this month.

10 Austin Weekly News, January 10, 2024

BandWith finds a permanent home in East Garfield Park A former casket factory will get a second life By AMINA SERGAZINA

PROVIDED

Render of the future BandWith building in East Garfield Park.

Staff Reporter

BandWith, a free performing arts program, will be moving into a permanent home in a former East Garfield Park casket factory. The Glasser & Rosenthal families donated a 25,000-squarefoot building in East Garfield Park on South California Avenue, a block away from where the program started 10 years ago. “It’s going to be beautiful. We’re super excited,” said Annie Palomino, founder of BandWith. Palomino founded BandWith, a nonprofit organization, in 2013 after LEARN Campbell Charter School in East Garfield Park dropped the band program because of budget cuts. The total cost of the project is $12.4 million. It comes from

the Community Development Commission-approved $5 million in TIF funding, and more than $8 million in grants. BandWith is providing free music programs and opportunities to perform. Its drumline and dance team played the half-time show at the Bears game on New Year’s Eve. BandWith is serving 165 students annually and with a new building, they will be able to serve 300 community members weekly because the building will include other organizations. Palomino added that there are plans for the building to include a coffee shop and a tenant space. “We have submitted the permit and depending on how long that takes we’re hoping to be closing and breaking ground by late spring,” Palomino said.

PROVIDED

Render of the future specialized rooms at the East Garfield Park location.

The building used to be an old casket factory and is being designed by Lamar Johnson Collaborative and built by Bulley & Andrews. Both of these companies are founded and based in Chicago. BandWith is now located on South Francisco Avenue, a space that was donated by Marillac St. Vincent, a Chicago-based organization that provides early childhood education, youth services, and community outreach to fight poverty and violence. Although BandWith is moving, Palomino said they want to stay close to Marillac St. Vincent because they have supported them throughout the years. “We are limited by the amount of space that we have to operate, we have outgrown our current space,” Palomino said. Currently BandWith is only working with elementary and high school students. But with the new building, Palomino said that they are looking for local community partners to use the space. In collaboration with these local community partners, BandWith wants to offer multigenerational programming during the day or for a community ensemble or chorus to use the space for rehearsals. BandWith is offering free dance, drumline, sound engineering, instrumental and choral ensemble programs. The new building will have specialized rooms for these programs. Palomino said that the building will include a music recording studio, music library, event space, indoor and outdoor community gathering spaces, dance studio, band and ensemble rehearsal space, practice space and choral rehearsing space. The recording studio will be available to rent out for local musicians. Palomino also said they are hoping to hold farmers markets in their parking lot space. The new building is set to open in early 2025.

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AustinWeekly News, January 10, 2024 11

For military veteran caregivers, caregiving often starts earlier in life and lasts longer. To better care for your loved one, you must also care for yourself. PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT Baby Girl L.R. arrived on the 27th day of February 2008 to the parents Rashad and Angelea Rhodes. Weighing 6 pounds and 15 inches long at 6:30pm Trinity Hospital. Published in Austin Weekly News January 3, 10, 17, 24, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICES BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT Bouncing Boy A.R. arrived on the 8th day of September 2006 to the parents Rashad and Angelea Rhodes. Weighing 8pounds and 18inches long at 10:15pm Advocate Hospital. Published in Austin Weekly News January 3, 10, 17, 24, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICES BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT Beautiful baby Girl E.R. arrived on the 20th day of November 2009 to the parents Rashad and Angelea Rhodes. Weighing 7 pounds and 61 inches long at 8:37pm. Trinity Hospital. Published in Austin Weekly News January 3, 10, 17, 24, 2024

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination. The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals. To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800669-9777.

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January 10, 2024

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

AT HOME ON THE GREATER WEST SIDE A GCM GUIDE TO HOMEOWNERSHIP

ABOUT THIS SECTION

This monthly special section focuses on ways to grow Black and Brown homeownership on the Greater West Side. This Growing Community Media project is funded by a grant from the Chicago Community Trust. Share your thoughts with Erika Hobbs, our editor, at erika@ growingcommunitymedia.org

Advice from an Expert: Q&A with Austin resident and realtor Camella A Sutton

PROVIDED

Camella Sutton tours a high rise rental building in Millenium Park.

By DELANEY NELSON

Special Projects Reporter

ustin resident Camella Sutton knows first-hand how overwhelming the process of buying a home can be. When she and her husband bought their home in 2013, she didn’t know all the ins and outs of the maze that is homeownership and relied on a realtor to lead her through. Now, Sutton is the realtor helping people achieve homeownership — and she wants you to be empowered throughout the process, too. While Sutton works as a realtor throughout all of the city and some of its suburbs, she tries to focus on Austin, where she’s lived since she was a kid. Austin Weekly News spoke with Sutton about the local housing market and what to expect from the buying process.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length. Austin Weekly News: Why did you pursue a career in real estate? Camella Sutton: I wanted people to know, not so much about real estate, but how to advance, and really the one thing that never goes away is land — that’s the thing that people fight for every day. So, I really try to now focus in on educating people on the benefits of owning, of ownership as a whole.

See CAMELLA SUTTON on page B4

January 10, 2024

AT HOME ON THE GREATER WEST SIDE

A prospective homebuyer’s list of terms

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

Confused by all the terms? We got you with this glossary

By DELANEY NELSON Special Projects Reporter

he process of getting ready to buy a home can be complicated — and wordy. Especially if it’s your first time. Here, we’ve made it a little easier for you by defining some of the words and phrases you’re likely to come across at the start of your home buying journey. Here are some of the terms you’ll need to know.

THE BIG PICTURE

Mortgage: an agreement between a homebuyer and lender that says if the borrower fails to pay off their loan plus interest, the lender can take possession of the property. Mortgage is also often used to refer to a home loan. Mortgage rate: the percentage of interest on a home loan. Mortgage rates can change with overall economic conditions, but also depend on your credit score and financial circumstances. Variable rate mortgage: This is a type of mortgage where the rate will go up and down as the economy changes. Fixed rate mortgage: This kind of mortgage has a rate will stay the same for the duration of the mortgage. Appreciation: an increase in the value of a home due to changing market conditions, home improvements and/or other factors. Depreciation: a decrease in the value of a home due to changing market conditions, wear and tear, and/or other factors.

Equity: the difference between what you owe on your mortgage and what your home is currently worth. Real Estate Agent: a professional who has completed training and passed a state examination to sell or rent real estate within a particular state. Real estate agents work under a real estate broker. A Realtor is a real estate agent or broker who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS.

PAYMENT AND FINANCING Before looking at potential houses or meeting with a realtor, it’s important to make sure you’re financially ready to buy a home. Mortgages almost always require a down payment, and saving for one is a major first step that can take years, depending on your financial situation. Assistance programs do exist that can help with your down payment, only require small down payments or don’t require one at all. Knowing more about down payments and what type of loan you may qualify for will help you plan how much to save. Down payment: the percentage or amount a buyer pays upfront when buying a home. The average down payment for first time buyers in 2023 was 8%, according to a study by the National Association of Realtors. AMI (Area Median Income): the median (average) household income within a certain geographic area. AMI is calculated and published annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is a key factor for determining eligibility for many down payment assistance programs.

Assets: Broadly, assets are things of value. Some assets that may be used for mortgage qualification include bank accounts, property and retirement accounts. DPA (Down payment assistance) programs: loan or grant programs offered by nonprofit organizations, employers or state or local government entities that help people purchase a home. These programs are generally for low- to moderate-income families or first-time homebuyers (FTHBs). FHA loan: a government-backed loan available to low to moderate earners, including those with lower credit scores or other financial issues. FHA loans allow lower down payments than conventional loans. Maximum housing expense: the greatest amount an individual or household can afford to spend on housing-related expenses. These include mortgage payments, property taxes and property insurance. A frequently cited rule of thumb is housing expenses should not exceed 28% of your gross monthly income. VA loan: a home loan backed by the Department of Veteran Affairs for U.S. veterans. These loans have a low down payment or none at all — and nearly 90% of all VA-backed home loans are made without a down payment.

CREDIT Working to improve your credit score is another step you can take toward preparing to buy a house. Understanding how credit scores work can help you improve your own. And they do matter: A strong credit score proves to lenders that you are likely to pay back their loan — and is often necessary to qualify for a home loan with optimal terms. Credit score: a three-digit number that attempts to predict how likely a borrower is to default on a future loan. Companies like FICO and VantageScore calculate credit scores using information about a borrower’s bill paying, borrowing and loan repayment history. They generally range from 300 to 850 — the higher your credit score, the better. A strong credit score makes it possible to qualify for more favorable loans. Credit bureau: a company that collects and retains credit information and then provide that information — for a fee — in the form of a credit report to lenders or creditors. A credit bureau is also commonly referred to as a credit reporting agency. The three main credit bureaus are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Continued on next page

AT HOME ON THE GREATER WEST SIDE

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

January 10, 2024

Overwhelmed by homebuying?

Classes can help By DELANEY NELSON Special Projects Reporter

avigating the homebuying process — and all of the lingo, steps and actors that come with it — may be confusing and overwhelming. Classes can help. Really. Any potential buyer’s first step should be to find a local housing counseling agency, said Danielle Matthews, director of homeownership services at Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago. “Typically, people go straight to a realtor or a loan officer when they’re ready to buy,” Matthews said. “That’s kind of like starting in the middle as opposed to starting up front with a housing counseling agency that will help them get prepared, and then hand them off to a loan officer and then eventually a real estate agent when they have that strong buying profile.” The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides a list of approved housing counseling agencies, where certified housing counselors can help potential buyers maneuver each part of their journey, from pre-purchase and home buying programs to closing and post-purchase costs. Matthews leads NHS’s HUD-certified homebuyer education courses, which cover budgeting, credit, inspections and down payment assistance programs. The organization also provides financial literacy and foreclosure prevention programming and one-on-one guidance. Connecting with housing counseling and understanding the process of becoming a homeowner is crucial to success, she said. “Our goal at the organization is not only to create a homebuyer, it’s really more around creating a sustainable homeownCredit repair companies: private, for-profit businesses that claim to help borrowers with debt or credit difficulties. Many companies that say they can “fix” credit problems fast are predatory. Credit repair companies are not the same as credit counseling organizations, which help borrowers safely rebuild their credit.

er. That’s how we want to impact the buyer — making sure that we’re delivering a level of education to them that teaches them not just to purchase the home, but to keep the home,” Matthews said. “Getting that person in housing counseling is step one, so that we can dismiss the myths around buying and put in a plan of action to help start the process.” NHS is just one of many organizations that can provide counseling to potential home buyers on the West Side. Some, like those at NHS, are even offered online. Others that can help include:

Credit report: a record of a borrower’s credit history, including data from banks, credit card companies, collections agencies and more. This includes whether payments were made on time. The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions (FACT) Act of 2003 requires all three major credit reporting agencies to provide credit reports to each consumer once a year upon request, free of charge. Consumers can request their report at annualcreditreport.com. Default: failure to repay a loan according to terms agreed upon between the borrower and the lender. Generally, one goes into default when they completely stop making loan payments for a period of time. Defaulting hurts your credit score, but there are paths to building your credit back up after a default. Delinquency: any late payment on a loan, credit card or other

• Oak Park Regional Housing Center/West Cook Homeownership Center • Spanish Coalition for Housing • Smart Money Housing • Northwest Side Housing Center • Latin United Community Housing Association (LUCHA) • Center for Changing Lives • The Resurrection Project

debt payment. Depending on how long the loan remains unpaid, your credit score could be affected. DTI (Debt-to-Income ratio): monthly debt payments divided by gross monthly income equals your DTI. Lenders use this number to determine how much a borrower can afford to spend on monthly home loan payments. Equal Credit Opportunity Act: enacted in 1974, it made it illegal for any creditor to discriminate against any applicant based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, marital status, receipt of income from public assistance programs, or the applicant’s good faith exercise of his or her rights under the Federal Consumer Credit Protection Act. Non-Traditional credit: If a potential buyer lacks an established credit history, they might assemble a non-traditional credit history which would involve proof of regular payments to entities other than a lender. These might include rent, utility or cell phone payments.

GETTING SERIOUS

After you’ve built up your credit and saved for a down payment, the next step might be prequalification or pre-approval for a loan. In addition to showing sellers you’re serious about buying, prequalification or preapproval will also give you a clearer idea of what you’re able to afford. Mortgage pre-qualification: an estimate from a bank or other lender of how much they would lend a borrower. This is based on information provided by the borrower. Mortgage pre-approval: an offer from a lender to loan a certain amount, good for a given time frame. This is based on information verified by the lender including a credit check and is more formal than pre-qualification. Follow us each month in print and at https://www.austinweeklynews.com/ at-home/, where you’ll find additional resources and useful information.

January 10, 2024

CAMELLA SUTTON Continued from page B1

AWN: What are the benefits of homeownership? Sutton: One of the biggest things is that it creates generational wealth. Having ownership, whether it’s a home that you’re growing with equity in, or if it’s a multi-unit, you’re constantly collecting rent — it’s something you can pass down to your family. It’s the beginning of generational wealth. AWN: What are some things people interested in starting the process of buying a home should know? Sutton: The first thing I do is I tell people it’s not HGTV. That’s for sure. And then really just having them determine what they’re truly looking for, teaching them to live within their means. A lot of times we see these beautiful, decorated homes that we see on TV and automatically you’re like, “Oh, I want that.” [It’s important to] be realistic with your search and know that you can transform anything into a home. The second part is educating them on the finances. A lot of times they go online, they’ll get a pre-approval, and it’s like, oh, I’m qualified for $300,000 — that’s not what that means. You need to factor in the taxes, the insurance, the what-ifs. If you’re going into a house that isn’t as updated, what to expect from things like that. That’s also something I’ve educated myself on. My husband is a home inspector,

AT HOME ON THE GREATER WEST SIDE so I had him teach me everything about what to look for when I’m going into a home, so I know when I’m showing people things, [I can see] what needs to be repaired. Let me explain to you what this could look like for you in the future. I really like people to go in with everything they need to know. I like to prepare people and really educate them on the process, even after the closing of a home. AWN: What are some of the financial items people need to have in line before they even start the process? Sutton: For one, knowing what you can and can’t afford, knowing your own budget. Having money saved up for, you know, your first mortgage payment, but what if something should happen? I like to tell people to have anywhere from three to six months’ worth of reserves in their account, not that you’ll need them — but anything can happen. You can lose your job, [there can be] acts of nature, your roof caves in, and you just never know. So, I like people to be prepared financially. Also, having them look at their credit report and knowing what’s on there. And also looking into different [financial] programs — don’t settle for the first lender that you see online. There’s so many great programs that a lot of people don’t know about and are not widely advertised. One in particular that I love to tell people about is called [Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America]. NACA allows you to obtain a home with bad credit, it doesn’t go off your credit score, it goes off your ability to pay your bills. It’s

PROVIDED

Sutton directing a photo for a new listing.

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA But now that I know, obviously I move differently. In my process, it was very overwhelming, to say the least. I learned a lot about different contractors, different developers. It was a lot of up and down, but in the end it worked out very well. I absolutely love where I live. I love my community. I would absolutely do it again. AWN: If you could give advice to yourself before you started the process, what would it be? Sutton: I would just tell myself to be a little more realistic within your search, and don’t limit yourself. So, I would tell myself to really just expand outside of my comfort zone.

Camella Sutton

Real estate broker

an awesome program that I like people to know about because it offers so much. So really just knowing what’s out there is big, and knowing what you can and can’t afford, being realistic with yourself. What are you willing to cut back on? What sacrifice are you willing to make to get to the point of homeownership? AWN: What are the first things you tell a potential client? Sutton: You’ve already taken the first step when you called me. The next thing that we would do from there is we will have just a great conversation, me getting to know you and know your likes or dislikes so that I can better assist you along the way. I’ll also find out a little bit more about your current situation financially so that way I can direct you to the lender that’s going to help you in your situation. Some people are veterans, so I want to make sure that we get you to a [Veterans Affairs] lender. If you are someone that can purchase the house, but maybe you don’t have all the down payment, I want to get you to a lender that has a great program that’s giving you money at closing. Every situation is going to vary. Some people already come with their lender, which in that case, again, I’m getting to know you so that way we can start your search. Each person will be different based on their needs. AWN: You’re a property owner yourself. What did that process look like for you? Sutton: Our process is another reason why I became a realtor. When I actually purchased a property that I live in, I did not have my license. My husband and I were flipping homes, but we had a realtor take care of this stuff for us. When I went to purchase my home, I felt I was being steered into certain areas. I felt that everything that I should have been informed about, educated on, I wasn’t given that opportunity.

AWN: What does the market look like in Austin right now? Sutton: The market in Austin is on fire. We are at an all-time high. The property values of our community are through the roof at this point. You’re seeing a lot of high property values, so a lot of equity in a lot of these homes. You’re seeing things that you probably would have never seen before — houses being brand new built over here at $600,000 and more, you’re seeing half-a-million-dollar properties being built. So, our community is taking a huge turn. We’re seeing a lot of growth and hopefully, that will lead to more businesses and more opportunities growing in the neighborhood as well. AWN: If you could give any advice to someone in your community who is interested in getting started with the process, or someone who is apprehensive about homeownership, what would you say? Sutton: Don’t be afraid, trust in yourself. Definitely do your research, and just go for it because the cost of living isn’t going down. If you’re waiting for that $100,000 house, it doesn’t exist anymore, so it’s no sense in waiting, because the prices are going up. AWN: Is there anything else you’d like the people in your community to know? Sutton: There’s so many great things coming to Austin. Definitely don’t be afraid to invest in your neighborhood. Become part of the neighborhood, join different clubs. There are so many great programs that are over here, from Build Chicago to the Good Neighbor Campaign. There’s so many great things that are happening here. Get out and be a part of the neighborhood. The neighborhood is going to be what you make of it. Follow us each month in print and at https://www.austinweeklynews.com/ at-home/, where you’ll find additional resources and useful information.