Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago

STATEMENT ON SCATTERED SITE HOUSING

ISSUED BY THE:

COUNCIL OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO

Serious attempts to deal with issues of segregation or its opposite of housing that enables people of different races, economic resources or religions are made in what we call scattered-site housing, The Council of Religious Leaders supports such housing arrangements. This is illustrated by the decision to locate the three unit, scattered site public housing unit in Northwest Chicago,

We take this position because we lament the disparagement of people who live in public housing and the circulation of attitudes that such housing reduces the value of property values in the area. Opposition to this reminds us that open and fair housing is still not the norm in our city.

We call the members of our congregations to welcome new neighbors who are part of this activity As people of faith, we want to assist our people in understanding the plight of those who previously lived in inadequate public housing.

We call about the Mayor and city officials to denounce negative rhetoric and to provide strong, positive leadership to enable all of our people to live in relationship and to find housing with justice.