Housing Demonstrators Push Kirk To Revive Rent Program
CHICAGO (WBBM) -- A handful of demonstrators caroled U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk's office but so far have no promise of help extending rent subsidies for some 1,000 Chicago families.
And members of the Chicago Housing Initiative are warning some families may end up homeless if landlords of the nine buildings start raising rents to market rates.
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The Below Market Rate Program provided landlords with low cost building loans in return for promises to hold rents steady for forty years. The program will expire without Senate approval.
The house has approved $25 million to continue the program but there's been no vote by the Senate which is focusing on the larger issues of Bush era tax cuts.
Kirk's office has indicated it's not objecting to the subsidy but will not be breaking ranks with the party until the tax cut and budget issues are settled.
