An effort to revolutionize Chicago's approach to homelessness, more than five years in the making, ended in a defeat at the ballot box in March, 2024.

The bill, known as Bring Chicago Home, sought to create a dedicated stream of funds to provide housing and services by taxing properties valued over $1 million.
We talk to Maria Hadden, Alderperson of Chicago's 49th Ward, and an architect of Bring Chicago Home, about why it didn't pass. We also discuss the potential for increasingly punitive policing of homelessness in public spaces following the recent Supreme Court decision, Grant's Pass V. Johnson, and tie up some loose ends from Season 2 of Where I Stay, which followed Ald. Hadden, and others, attempts to address the spread of tent encampments in the middle of two overlapping crises.

This is a bonus episode! For the full story, check out Where I Stay: Season 2 and binge all 4 episodes now!
CREDITS:

Reported by Jesse Betend, Suzanne Hanney, A. Allen, Kianna Drummond and Keith Hardiman

Produced by Jesse Betend with help from Jennifer O'Neill

Music by Andrew Bird, Jeremy Blake, AETHER, John Patitucci and Freedom Trail Studios

Editing by Suzanne Hanney, Sheila Solomon, Amanda Jones, Julie Youngquist, Terri Lydon and Cindy Paulauskas

About StreetWise magazine

StreetWise has been part of the fabric of Chicago for 31 years, covering everything Chicago from its people to its social issues, politics, nonprofits, arts, culture, and neighborhoods.

Over the past 31 years more than 14,000 StreetWise vendors have found dignity on street corners in many neighborhoods across the city as they are empowered to earn an income with a hand up and not a handout.

About Rivet360

Rivet360 is a business to business podcast agency. It was founded in Chicago in 2013 with a simple mission: Tell the world’s stories, making them engaging and fun. An obsession with elegant solutions and devotion to editorial integrity have been part of the company from day one—along with a flexible, can-do attitude that customers love.