(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Demonstrators rallied around pitched tents inside Chicago City Hall on Monday to send a message to Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
"Housing is a human right in our society," said April Harris. "I'm a firm believer in that."
Harris is a grassroots leader with the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. She says Mayor Lightfoot's 2023 budget proposal opted to leverage one-time, federal resources to address affordable housing and homelessness. She calls that solution a Band-Aid.
"There's over 65,000 people experiencing homelessness in the City of Chicago," Harris said. "Once we get people housed, we want to make sure they stay housed, and that's why it's so important not to have a one-time payment to fix the problem. We need a dedicated revenue continuously coming in."
The Bring Chicago Home Coalition wants Mayor Lightfoot to raise the Real Estate Transfer Tax by nearly 2 points.
The tax increase would fund affordable housing as well as mental health and employment services.
The measure, however, would require approval from Chicago voters.
"We need it on the ballot," added Harris. "We don't want it, we need it on the ballot."
WBBM Newsradio has reached out to Mayor Lightfoot's office for comment.
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