(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The city of Evanston was praised for promising millions of dollars in reparations for Black families who suffered housing discrimination in the 20th century, but then the payouts dried up.
Now, the city has been forced to make some changes, WBBM Newsradio's Steve Miller reports.
About 650 people have applied to receive reparation-related payments. The money is meant to help offset the way some Evanston families were discriminated against in housing in the last century.
Evanston's assistant city manager says so far, 14 people have actually received reparations. The city covered bills for things like home improvements that amounted to $25,000 apiece.
The initiative was financed by a cannabis sales tax. But Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss says it turned out there weren't that many cannabis sales in the city. So, late last year, Evanston redirected some real estate transfer tax revenue to the reparations program.
This week, the city has decided to award $25,000 in cash to people who are eligible, rather than just covering expenses for home improvements.
Mayor Biss supports it.
"Giving cash that does not have strings attached is the clearest way to give agency and autonomy to the individuals who are owed the repair,” he said.
The pace of paying out reparations is expected to pick up, now that city government has a new revenue stream.
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