Welcome to Newswire — your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic action and what action we can take to make our city great, featuring public meeting coverage by City Bureau’s Documenters.

Quote of the Week

“I know that it can be challenging for us to stay in our primary roles as representatives of our ward, thinking as we are so entrenched in problem solving in our own community that sometimes, it’s difficult for us to think about the citywide solutions that we need to see implemented, it’s hard sometimes to see how that will impact us.”

— Ald. Maria Hadden (49th Ward), urging alders to support the ‘Green Social Housing’ ordinance.

[City Council Joint Committee: Finance; Housing & Real Estate, May 7,2025]

A green & social Chicago

After weeks of back and forth, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s ‘Green Social Housing’ ordinance gets the final stamp of approval. The ordinance, which will establish an independent nonprofit in charge of creating energy-efficient, mixed-income developments with permanently affordable housing, was passed by the Finance and Housing and Real Estate committees before receiving support from City Council. 

The nonprofit will oversee a $135 million loan fund to develop the housing. City leaders say  they expect to produce 1,200 affordable apartments annually through the initiative.

In recent Newswire editions, we’ve reported on how alders have questioned how the city will ensure accountability and oversight of the nonprofit responsible for creating the apartments. 

However, the voices in favor of the housing ordinance won out.  “I don’t know how much Green Social Housing will be used in my community,” said Ald. Maria Hadden (49th Ward). “But I know that the displacement that we are experiencing, my neighbors, the 75% renters who make up the 49th Ward who are being priced out of our community will benefit from more housing being created around the city as a whole.”

City officials also cited theuncertain federal funding landscapeas an added reason for the ordinance. Both critics and supporters of Johnson united in passing the ordinance 30-18.

What you can do:

Catch up on the headlines:

Turning up the heat on Peoples Gas

The Illinois Commerce Commission has allowed the Peoples Gas Pipe Replacement Project (formerly, the Safety Modernization Program) to resume after it was paused in 2023 to investigate rising costs and timelines. 

With its decision, the ICC has directed Peoples Gas to prioritize safety while meeting a 2035 deadline to replace 1,100 miles of aging pipe while complying with emissions reporting aligned with the Chicago Climate Action Plan.

Labor unions and Peoples Gas emphasized job creation and urgency, citing safety risks and the need to meet the ICC’s 2035 pipe retirement target. Meanwhile, City Council members questioned permitting delays, cost accountability, and long-term plans, with calls for better interagency coordination and regular hearings.

Going forward, alders proposed holding regular hearings with Peoples Gas, similar to summer preparedness hearings with ComEd, aimed at ensuring the electricity provider’s reliability.

What you can do:

Stay up to date of Committee of Environmental Protection and Energy meetings: Check for upcoming City Council meetings here at the Chicago City Clerk website. To learn more about how you can give public comment – in-person or virtually – at a City Council meeting, click here.

A version of this story was first published in the May 14, 2025 issue of the Newswire, an email newsletter that is your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic action and what we can do to make our city great. You can sign up for the weekly newsletter here.

Have thoughts on what you'd like to see in this feature? Email Civic Editor Dawn Rhodes at dawn@citybureau.org.