The Coalition of African, Asian, European and Latino Immigrants of Illinois (CAAELII) presented their publication of “A Place to Call Home,” a compilation of essays written by Chicago immigrants, on Saturday Jan. 19, in the Broadway Armory, 5917 N. Broadway. Contributors read their own stories, telling of their expectations, arrival and first impressions of the United States and the difficulties in searching for work and safe and affordable housing. CAAELII provided translation from English into Spanish, Khmer, and Chinese.
“The housing crisis is a serious problem, especially on the North Side. Affordability is becoming more and more difficult for immigrants and senior citizens,” said Ald. Helen Schiller (46th ).
CAAELII was formed in 1996 as a city-wide support network to counter the effects of the Welfare Reform Law passed that same year. The partnership has grown to include 18 community based organizations providing citizenship services to immigrants and refugees in Chicago. The diverse communities represented by CAAELII have traditionally not worked together, due to cultural, language and geographic barriers.
“If we work together, despite our cultural differences, we can rise above this housing crisis. I hope this elusive American dream is not for just a privileged few,” CAAELII director Dale Asis said.
While immigrants welcome neighborhood revitalization, they cannot afford increased rents as a result of landlord improvements and increased property taxes. HUD defines “affordable housing” as housing that costs no more than 30 percent of a household’s income.
“HUD’s goal is to preserve what we have and create more affordable and safe housing,” said Joe Galena of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The hourly wage a full-time worker must earn to afford a two-bedroom apartment, at our local fair market rent, is $14.92. This places Illinois among the ten least affordable states, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s September 2001 report.
“Today, housing stocks and costs are skyrocketing in the City of Chicago, as well as other urban areas. Most of these recent immigrant and refugee families are struggling to put food on their table, while paying their rent. The dream of home ownership is not even on the horizon for them. Families are simply dreaming of renting a home in an affordable, clean, safe and healthy environment,” said Kompha Seth, executive director of the Cambodian Association of Illinois (CAI).
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