The city of Evanston, Illinois, approved Monday night a plan to distribute $ 10 million in repairs to black residents for housing and mortgage assistance.
Why it’s important: The city of 73,000, 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, is the first in the country to pass this measure.
By numbers: The measure passed 8-1, per WNUR news.
The big picture: The City Council will pay for the repairs through the revenue collected from the cannabis tax, according to information from the city council.
- People who have lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969, their descendants, or those who can prove they faced discrimination on housing policy could receive reparations.
What they say: Councilman Robin Rue Simmons, who was behind the initiative, told the New York Times that the action was “a start.”
- “It’s the calculation,” he added. “We are very proud as a city to lead the nation toward reparation and justice.”
In depth: The Catholic order is committed to earning $ 100 million in reparations for slavery