Disabled Residents in Jefferson Park Hope Controversial Building Comes Through

Apartment building with subsidized units for the disabled has drawn protest and support, Alex Nitkin talked to some of the people hoping to move into the apartments.

1 minute read

March 24, 2017, 1:00 PM PDT

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


Sandy Kleinhans was born with a joint disorder that makes it difficult for her to move. She worked as a bank teller for 36 years, until a health scare led her to take her doctor's advice and leave her job. Now Ms. Kleinhans is being evicted from her home in the Jefferson Park Neighborhood because her disability check is not enough to cover the costs of living in a neighborhood that's becoming more prosperous. "One of about 2,800 people with disabilities living in Jefferson Park according to U.S. Census data, Kleinhan got happier about the proposal the more she read about it, she said," Alex Nitkin reports for DNAInfo Chicago.

Not everyone is as excited about the proposal, which has faced protests from those who oppose low income housing in Jefferson Park. Ward meetings on the issue have been heated featuring "Chanting outside the building and opponents drowning out the program inside," Nitkin writes. When Sandy Kleinhan left a ward meeting she voiced frustration at not being able to get her story out over the shouting, asking police to escort her to her car. 

Wednesday, March 22, 2017 in DNAinfo Chicago

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 14, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Front of Walmart store with sign.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network

The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

May 7, 2025 - Inc.

Aerial view of Albuquerque, New Mexico at sunset.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico

An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

May 16 - Source NM

Close-up on white bike helmet lying on pavement with blurred red bike on its side in background abd black car visible behind it.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes

Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

May 16 - Wood TV 8

Muni bus on red painted bus-only lane in downtown San Francisco, California.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels

Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.

May 16 - Mass Transit