Abundant Housing Illinois early endorses Patrick Gilsenan for 32nd Ward Alderperson
Patrick knows what the housing shortage does to people because it happened to him. He got priced out of Bucktown when his landlord sold the two-flat he rented — one more unit lost to the deconversions that have drained this ward of the affordable housing it already had. A law degree and career later, he’s made it back as a homeowner and is running on an explicitly YIMBY platform - legalizing Chicago’s historic missing middle and expanding the Western Avenue proactive upzoning into the 32nd.
He's been on the associate board of the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness for nearly ten years. As a member of The People's 32nd and AHIL, he co-organized a happy hour between AHIL and People’s 32, bridging the gap between our movement and a relevant area IPO. He's shown up with P32 and NWNA for housing on Milwaukee Ave, and he's been at the table at Lathrop Homes making sure promises made are promises kept - fighting just like we do for housing for all.
The 32nd has spent years with an alder who treats new neighbors as a nuisance. Many of you have been there for knock down, drag out fights where this alder has decided to say no to more housing despite the community saying yes. This ward is a golden opportunity to change one of our most resistant alders, in a AHIL heavy ward, into the one of the first AHIL member alders elected into City Council. This race is winnable, but only if we work it. Abundant Housing Illinois is proud to endorse Patrick Gilsenan — knock doors, chip in, and tell your friends in the 32nd why this one matters.