Posted in News

The Numbers Don’t Lie… Again

The Numbers Don’t Lie… Again

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

Stunning new statistics from Washington, D.C. showcase the ongoing triumph of President Trump’s law-and-order agenda. Year-to-date figures for 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 paint a picture of decisive victory over crime, with homicides plummeting 80%, robberies down 58%, burglaries reduced by 28%, motor vehicle thefts slashed 57%, and overall crime dropping 26%.

These numbers, highlighted in a recent Fox News segment, underscore how Trump’s aggressive crackdown is transforming the nation’s capital from a hotspot of disorder into a model of security.

The Metropolitan Police Department’s data, as displayed on Fox News, breaks it down clearly: homicides fell from 10 in early 2025 to just 2 in 2026 so far. Robberies dropped from 158 to 67, motor vehicle thefts from 381 to 162, and the total crime count from 1,880 to 1,385. While assaults with dangerous weapons saw a 33% uptick—from 52 to 69—the overwhelming trend is downward, proving that targeted enforcement yields results.

🚨 HOLY SMOKES. Stunning new data finds Washington DC crime is PLUMMETING as much as 80% PERCENT thanks to President Trump

I voted for this!

Homicide: -80%
Robbery: -58%
Burglary: -28%
Motor vehicle theft: -57%
All crime: -26%

THAT’S HUGE. Trump just proved it can be done. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/fNpX2a9VRd

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 2, 2026

This early 2026 surge in safety builds directly on the monumental gains of 2025. As we previously highlighted, nationwide murder rates hit their lowest since 1900 last year, with homicides down 21%, carjackings 43%, and overdoses 20%.

The declines have come amid Trump’s federal interventions, including surges in law enforcement resources and operations like “Make D.C. Safe & Beautiful.” The U.S. Marshals Service arrested over 8,400 violent fugitives and seized 856 guns by year’s end, directly contributing to the plunge.

Experts attribute the continued momentum to Trump’s whole-of-government approach: deploying federal agents, securing borders to stem illegal alien crime, and empowering local police against the soft-on-crime policies that plagued Democrat-led cities.

As U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro noted recently, enhanced prosecutions and tougher enforcement have made crimes “prosecuted like never before,” with homicides down 60% and carjackings 68% by the end of 2025.

In contrast to the Biden-Harris era’s chaos—where D.C. saw homicide spikes and unchecked carjackings—Trump’s strategy has restored order. Operations like the one in Chicago, which cut homicides 16% and shootings 35%, are now echoed in D.C.’s rapid improvements.

These D.C. stats are no fluke; they’re proof that backing the blue and cracking down on criminals works. Trump’s America First policies aren’t just rhetoric—they save lives and reclaim communities from the grip of radical left failures.

Expect these trends to spread further, dismantling the legacy of open borders and defund-the-police nonsense. Real leadership delivers real results, and the numbers keep proving it.

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

Tyler Durden
Tue, 02/03/2026 – 16:20

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/numbers-dont-lie-again 

Posted in News

Man given life sentence for second sexual assault conviction

A man with a prior sexual assault conviction has been sentenced to life in prison for a 2024 attack on a woman at a local hotel, according to the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Chris Butler, 44, was arrested after Deerfield police were alerted to the assault. He was charged in May of 2024.

Authorities said the victim knew Butler and that witnesses saw the attack.

Butler was found guilty of sexual assault in 2025, and based on a 2007 conviction in Cook County, a life sentence was statutorily mandated.

“Our first thoughts are always with the survivor of this violent offense. We will support them beyond the close of this case,” State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said. “Next, we are satisfied that the community is safer after this life sentence.

“Experienced trial prosecutors and police investigators delivered and made sure that this offender faced justice,” he said.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/03/sexual-assault-life-sentence/ 

Posted in News

Gary public transportation to offer free fare for transit equity

The Gary Public Transportation Corporation is celebrating transit equity and former civil rights leader Rosa Parks by offering free fare on Wednesday.

“We are looking at it as a kickoff of our Black History Month celebration,” said David Wright, the GPTC’s planning, marketing and grants manager. “We think that transit equity and (the Montgomery bus boycotts) were such a flashpoint, both in our industry and in Black history. … When the GPTC was created, it improved mobility for the Black residents in Northwest Indiana, and we have since turned that into greater mobility in general.”

Wednesday is National Transit Equity Day, Wright said, which is Parks’ birthday. Transit Equity Day recognizes Parks’ decision to refuse a Montgomery bus driver’s instructions to move to the back of the bus, which helped spark the Civil Rights Movement.

Fuel Outdoor Media, a Tallahassee-based organization, is sponsoring all the free fares, according to GPTC. All fixed routes, transfers and the paratransit service will be part of the promotion.

This year is the first since 2023 that the GPTC has done the free fare promotion, Wright said. The organization got the idea from the Indianapolis transit agency.

“It’s just a way of giving back to our customers,” Wright said. “It highlights equity and accessibility in mobility and public transportation. It’ll help extend and shape the conversation around that here in Gary and Northwest Indiana.”

About 1,500 people use GPTC each day, Wright said, and they’re expecting about a 35-40% increase in riders on Wednesday.

“We’re hoping it’ll increase after Wednesday, too,” Wright said. “One of the reasons we do events like this is to highlight the accessibility of the system and bring more people in who might not notice it’s there.”

Jessie Renslow, a Gary resident, is working with the GPTC through her company, Nexus Strategy and Implementation, to advertise the free fares for Transit Equity Day.

Renslow believes it’s important to recognize transit equity and to ensure residents know that the bus system can be beneficial. She hopes the free fare increases riders that use GPTC.

“In the Midwest, I don’t think public transportation is used as often as in other places,” Renslow said. “I do believe it’s getting more popular now and mostly because of economic circumstances, but I also do think it’s better for the environment.”

Renslow also believes it’s powerful for Transit Equity Day to be during Black History Month because of its history with Rosa Parks.

“It just shows what one person can do when they stand up for something they believe in and know is the right thing to do,” she said. “I believe that in this day and age, that’s a message we need to hear.”

mwilkins@chicagotribune.com

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/03/gary-public-transportation-to-offer-free-fare-for-transit-equity/ 

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‘The Atlas,’ a 236-unit apartment complex, proposed for land near Route 59/75th Street

An apartment complex has been proposed for land near Route 59 and 75th Street in Naperville that was previously approved for a senior living facility.

“The Atlas” is a 236-unit multifamily apartment complex to be built at 2939 Audrey Ave., according to a petition submitted by BC Astoria to the Naperville Planning and Zoning Commission. It would have 77 studio, 133 one-bedroom and 26 two-bedroom apartments, the petition said.

The property is surrounded by the Mayfair of Naperville townhomes, located north and east of the property, and shopping areas to the south and west.

“This site is very exciting to us because it has some very unique features,” said Alex Shalavi, partner at BC Astoria’s Bridge Capital Partners, of which BC Astoria is a part.

“It has the ability to walk to some great retail, particularly grocery stores like Whole Foods and Dick’s Sporting Goods and Home Depot — everything that’s on that corner of Route 59. And there’s not a whole lot of opportunities besides downtown Naperville to really do that.”

If approved, it would take over a site annexed into the city in 1997. A 170-unit senior living facility called the Audrey Senior Residences was approved for rezoning and development at the site in 2023, but the project was never built, according to the petition.

The Atlas, an apartment complex proposed for 2939 Audrey Avenue in Naperville, will provide amenities such as an outdoor pool and patio. The apartment’s location would also be within walking distance of major retailers in the area. (OKW Architects)

While the site totals 6.2 acres, only 4.5 acres of that would be used for The Atlas. The remaining land would be reserved for future commercial or retail use due to its proximity to Route 59.

“Anything fronting Route 59 should be utilized for commercial retail purposes,” said Vince Rosanova, an attorney representing the developer. “So that area, which is approximately 1.2 acres west of our site, has frontage along Route 59. It’s north of the former Krispy Kreme, which is now a Mattress Firm. … So the thought is to reserve property along 59 for future commercial (use).”

The Atlas will serve as a transitional property between the commercial area and the more residential area where the Mayfair of Naperville is located, Rosanova said.

Another benefit of the site is its proximity to public transit, including the Route 59 Metra Station, which is about two miles away, and a Pace bus stop at the corner of Audrey Avenue and Route 59.

“We plan to amenitize the building and create a community where friendships can be made and there will be a robust retail environment around where it’s just going to naturally have people comingling,” Shalavi said.

Some of those proposed amenities include an outdoor pool and patio area, a dedicated dog run, coworking lounge, rooftop terrace, and club room with a bar, television, pool table and shuffleboard, according to the petition.

Before the proposal can move forward, BC Astoria is requesting approval for a conditional use for a multifamily residential building; variances for parking, density and building height; and a wall sign.

BC Astoria is also asking that the 4.5 acres to be rezoned to office, commercial and institutional, or OCI, so The Atlas to serve as a transitional property between the commercial and residential areas. While the property is technically already zoned OCI for the Audrey Senior Residences, that will be revoked and then rezone for The Atlas.

Target demographics for the site include young working professionals and active adults who are 55 or older. Demographic data cited in the petition suggests that by 2030, people aged 25 to 34 will represent the largest population group within a 5-mile radius of the property, with more than 36,000 people making up the age group.

Similarly, people agess 55 to 64 are expected to make up another 32,000-person group, the developer said. Combined, these two age groups will represent nearly 27% of the area’s population by 2030, the petition said.

Prices for the units are also expected to have a “lower barrier to entry” for those who want to live in the area, the petition said. Monthly rents are projected to be $1,725 for a studio, $2,015  for a one-bedroom unit and $2,465 for a two-bedroom unit, Rosanova said.

“If you look at the city’s average household income of $150,000, it’s very clear that this is a housing opportunity at a more attainable price point than somebody making $150,000 a year,” Rosanova said.

It is not the first housing development that Bridge Capital Partners has brought to Naperville. Currently, through its related companies, Bridge Capital Partners owns and manages more than 1,500 apartment homes in Naperville, including the 5th Avenue Station, One Nineteen on Main and the Belvedere Apartments at 111th Street.

“We want to bring something to south Naperville that we feel is in some ways, I don’t want to say is missing, but at the same time is something that would add to the richness of the community,” Shalavi said.

cstein@chicagotribune.com

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/03/atlas-apartments-naperville-route-59/ 

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Charges filed against juvenile following gun report that triggered Homewood-Flossmoor High School lockdown

Charges were filed against a juvenile in connection to a report of a gun on campus that sent Homewood-Flossmoor High School into a hard lockdown Jan. 16, Flossmoor police Chief Carl Estelle said Tuesday.

Estelle said the suspect was charged with possession of a stolen firearm, unlawful use of a weapon at school and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. The charges do not mean a gun was discharged.

The suspect was not identified due to being a juvenile.

The lockdown was triggered by a report of a gun on campus early afternoon Jan. 16, and continued until 3 p.m. dismissal “out of an abundance of caution,” according to a message sent by District 233 Superintendent Jennifer Norrell to families and staff.

Following the lockdown, the school had a staggered dismissal with police from surrounding areas onsite, the message said.

elewis@chicagotribune.com

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/03/charges-juvenile-gun-homewood-flossmoor-high/ 

Posted in News

Email to Fox River group raises questions about future of Elgin-area dam removal

South Elgin met its deadline to weigh in on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ second study on removing dams in the Fox River, but officials say they are now wondering if the federal government is still pursuing the idea.

The nine municipalities with dams on the waterway were asked to submit their position on doing a new analysis of the proposed dam demolition, which supporters say will improve the environmental health of the river but detractors warn could cause unanticipated changes to the river sedimentation.

“We had to send a letter to the Corps by Jan. 31,” South Elgin Village President Steve Ward said. “While we’re endorsing their study about removing the dam, the letter is not showing support for the removal but raising questions.”

However, Ward said, a recent Facebook post on the Friends of the Fox River page has him wondering if the effort was necessary and the Army Corps has abandoned its plans.

The Friends post advertises a Feb. 8 event at which retired civil and environmental engineer Art Malm will “review the success of the removal of the Carpenter dam and outline the strategy and funding for the (removal of the) remaining central Fox River dams following a ‘high level administrative order’ stopping all Army Corps support of the project.”

Malm is a South Elgin resident, a former Elgin employee and a Friends of the Fox River and Fox River Study Group board member, which has been involved in promoting dam removal efforts.

In an interview with The Courier-News, Malm said the study group received word from the Corps in December that a hold has been placed on the federal dam removal project.

While he would not provide all of the correspondence between the group and the Corps, Malm did share a Dec. 10 email in which a deputy district engineer told the Fox River Study Group that, “After conferring with USACE HQ and the (Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works) office, I can share that the study remains paused while it is under review by senior administration personnel. And unfortunately, I do not know how long this review will take before we have an answer.”

Courier-News calls requesting a comment from the Corps’ Chicago office were not returned.

South Elgin officials said they have not heard anything from the Corps confirming Malm’s claims. South Elgin spokesman Craig Pierce said Village Administrator Steve Super spoke to Malm on Jan. 29.

“Art reiterated that the project is on hold, but remains hopeful it’s temporary,” Pierce said.

Mayor Dave Kaptain said the city of Elgin, which is also awaiting word from the Army Corps on if a second study will be done, has not heard anything about a hold on the study or anything else related the dam removal proposal.

Kaptain said he found it troubling that such messages are being relayed to the river study group but not released to the city, especially since Elgin gives the study group $50,000 a year to fund its work.

If what Malm said is correct, “those are the words I’ve been waiting to hear for a long time,” Ward said.

Pierce said he would not be surprised if the Fox River dam removal plan is in limbo given the federal government cuts to environment-related projects in the Midwest.

“I just saw Monday morning that 90% of the federal funds for Chicago’s lock and dam restoration project were cut,” Pierce said.

On Jan. 25, Engineering News-Record reported that a $1.2 billion project to prevent Asian carp and other invasive species from entering the Great Lakes had been paused and is under review by the Trump administration, according to lawmakers from Michigan and Illinois.

If Malm is correct, Kaptain said, the Army Corps’ approval for dam removal is unlikely to move forward for at least another three to four years because of the current administration. By that time, all studies that have been done would need to be updated, delaying the work even further, he said.

“This throws a wrench into things being done. The whole thing’s a mess,” Kaptain said.

For his part, Malm said he thinks the removal of Fox River dams will eventually happen.

“With two major studies expected in 2026 (being done by groups other than the Army Corps),” he said, “I expect that once the issues are fully aired, South Elgin will ultimately support dam removal sooner rather than later.”

Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/03/elgin-dam-fox-army-corps-study/ 

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Orland Park Village Board member questions ethics surrounding approval of Amazon retail plan

An Orland Park Village Board member asked the board Monday to investigate a potential ethics breach during the approval process of a planned Amazon retail center.

William Healy raised concerns about a social media post made by Inform Orland Park, a political action committee, before the village Plan Commission voted in favor of the Amazon development, prompting outrage from other board members.

Healy presented a copy of what he said was posted by Inform Orland Park Jan. 2, that the committee was “excited to share that an Amazon facility is coming to the corner 159th Street and LaGrange Road.”

“This posting made it appear that (the project) was a done deal,” potentially discouraging public comment at the Jan. 6 Plan Commission meeting, Healy said. He said the post was later removed from Inform Orland Park’s Facebook page.

A post on the page from Jan. 2 states “an Amazon facility is potentially coming to the corner of 159th Street and LaGrange Road! This new development represents a significant investment in our community, bringing new jobs, economic growth, and expanded opportunities to Orland Park.”

Healy said he also was concerned about a Plan Commission member’s relationship to the political action committee. Kathy Fenton, who sits on the Plan Commission and voted in favor of the Amazon development, was chair of Inform Orland Park until Jan. 8, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections. Lucas Hawly is the current chair.

Healy said he interpreted Fenton’s resignation from the committee as her realizing that it was wrong to publish the Amazon announcement.

“You’d think she’d resign from the Plan Commission, but she resigned from the PAC instead,” Healy said. He said she should have at least abstained from the Amazon vote due to her ties to the committee.

Orland Park Village Board member William Healy, right, outlines his concerns with the Plan Commission’s approval of an Amazon retail center in the village, triggering frustration from others on the board. (Olivia Stevens/Daily Southtown)

Village attorney Michael Stillman said it is normal for government officials to maintain connections to political parties, and said “they are not called on to not vote just because there may have been some connection.”

Other board members expressed frustrations that Healy did not refer his concerns to the village’s Ethics Committee, as is standard practice.

“Let it go through the commission, and let them investigate it to see if there was any wrongdoing,” board member John Lawler said. “Instead, I feel like we’ve wasted a lot of time on this.”

Board member Joanna Leafblad and Mayor Jim Dodge said Healy failed to provide any evidence Fenton was responsible for the social media post and noted the village notified members of the public about the Amazon development proposal in December a Daily Southtown article.

“You’re trying to damage people’s reputations and potentially the reputation of the village of Orland Park,” Dodge said.

Fenton on Tuesday called Healy’s claims “baseless and false” and said he owes her an apology for smearing her reputation. She said she does not post on social media and her position with Inform Orland Park was purely administrative.

“To question my ethics and say it was a conflict of interest is a bunch of garbage,” Fenton said. She said she resigned due to “targeted and repeated attacks.”

Healy’s call for an investigation into a potential ethics breach was voted down 5-2, with Healy and Trustee Cynthia Katsenes voting in favor.

ostevens@chicagotribune.com

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/03/orland-park-village-board-ethics-amazon/ 

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La Grange Park makes its case for road work bond referendum

Village of La Grange Park leaders have placed a referendum question on the March 17 municipal election ballot asking voters to continue funding road maintenance in the village, and made their case for issuing the bonds to do so last week to a crowd of about 30 residents at Village Hall.

Village Manager Julia Cedillo told the residents the referendum question involves a “proposition to issue $10 million in bonds to continue funding for road infrastructure, continuing the 2016 Road Bond Fund.”

Because La Grange Park is a non-home rule community, state law requires voter approval for bonds supported solely by a property tax levy.

Voters backed issuing a similar $10 million in bonds in 2016 for the roads program, the final payments of which will be made this year. Those bonds also included $1.1 million in funding for an ambulance and a ladder fire truck.

If the MArch referendum is approved, the bonds will be issued in time for the 2026 property tax levy in the amount not to exceed the rate of 6%. The money will go exclusively toward road repair and sidewalk improvements in La Grange Park.

The details of the referendum question and the road program can be found at the village web site lagrangepark.org

La Grange Park has 37 miles of streets to maintain, and the 2016 bonds included funding for 11.4 miles in roadway improvements along with upgraded curbs and gutters, improved the overall road quality, and upgraded drainage and sidewalks, officials said.

While village officials consider the 2016 bonds a success, it is estimated that, based on pavement evaluations, the cost of keeping the roads in good condition is at least $1.3 million, and proceeds from the Motor Fuel Tax and vehicle sticker fees will not cover the cost.

Cedillo stressed that the expiring 2016 bonds were approved by more than 70% of voters and that the new bonds would essentially replace them.

“This new issuance will continue the same level of road funding without adding to your tax burden,” she said, while cautioning that the total miles to be improved would be less than with the previous bonds.

“While the proposed bond amount is about the same as 2016, we will pave fewer miles because borrowing rates are higher and construction and material costs are significantly higher today,” she said.

Plus, she said, the maintenance would also be significantly more detailed than before. “So the scope of the work is much broader and literally deeper.”

Cedillo also indicated that the village had always successfully pursued grant funding for infrastructure projects, but the funding gap remains for long-term projects.

If the voters reject the ballot question, there would be a slight reduction in property taxes. But, Cedillo said, the village “would lose the primary dedicated funding for large-scale road improvements.”

“Road projects would be significantly scaled back and streets would deteriorate further, shifting work from resurfacing to more costly reconstruction that we still would not have funding for,” she said.

Cedillo outlined the timeline of the work if the referendum is approved, with two blocks of Park Road being a significant project beginning in 2026, being paid for by MFT funds and a state grant.

If approved, the bond issuance will be in the Summer of 2026, and the road projects will take place in 2027, 2028, and 2029.

Village President James Discipio stressed the importance of road maintenance.

“We’ve been through periods where the roads are not kept up, and it’s difficult,” he said. “One of the things we take pride in is keeping our community safe for our residents and part of that is the road situation, so this is extremely important to our residents. They were so grateful 10 years ago to allow us to go with two bonds. Now we’re just asking for one and it’s going to continue on when this one leaves off…it’s not adding on to any tax burden. … We’re not increasing the rate at all.”

One resident who lives at Plymouth Place Senior Living said many of his neighbors were resistant to any bond issues, and wondered how he could convince them to support this one.

“Roads matter,” Cedillo said. “And then for public safety, they connect us, they connect neighbors. We have a high number of neighborhoods that have block parties every year, more than other communities do. This is where residents meet.”

Cedillo also indicated that if the March referendum question fails, the village has the option of going back to the voters in November.

“I thought the presentation went very well in describing what they were going to do with the bond money over a three-year period,” resident Eric Lundahl said after the presentation. “They’re trying to do what they did 10 years ago when they got the bond approved in ’16 and they did all the repairs on the streets. They’re trying to replicate that.”

Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. 

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/03/lagrange-park-road-bonds/ 

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Mamdani NYC Housing Plan Has Insiders Curious, Skeptical

Mamdani NYC Housing Plan Has Insiders Curious, Skeptical

Authored by Petr Svab via The Epoch Times,

The new mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, has put forward a plan to make housing more affordable, including the government building more housing, freezing rents, and potentially taking over properties from landlords who fail to fix them up.

Affordability is indeed an issue worth addressing, several industry insiders told The Epoch Times. But they weren’t sure how Mamdani could succeed where previous administrations largely hadn’t.

“He’s proven to be really skilled at walking a fine line between opposing parties with different priorities and making each party feel like they’re being catered to,” said Devin Lynch, sales manager at Howard Hanna NYC, a real estate brokerage.

Lynch pointed to the housing ballot proposals that gave the mayor more power over approving housing projects. Many Mamdani voters opposed the measures, worrying they would strip local communities of a voice in the approval process, Lynch said.

“He couldn’t do that because he also courted the union vote, and they all needed the construction and the ‘Yes’ on those ballot proposals for their members. So he’s really threading the needle between these two different opposing goals in his constituency.”

There’s also much uncertainty about the specifics of Mamdani’s plan, given that he has just assumed office, said Michelle Griffith, a real estate agent at the New York City-based Douglas Elliman brokerage.

“We’re all trying to be as optimistic as possible. But the truth is, he’s been mayor for not even four weeks. So we still don’t know what is going to happen,” she said.

“Short term, there’s going to be a rent freeze, so that’s how he’s going to try to soften it for people immediately. And then long term, it’s building more affordable housing.”

Rent Freeze

There are significant caveats to Mamdani’s proposed rent freeze, according to Lynch.

The mayor doesn’t have direct authority to freeze rents city-wide. What he could do is to appoint members to the Rent Guidelines Board, which could freeze rents across rent-stabilized housing units. More than 40 percent of all rental units in the city, almost one million, are rent-stabilized. Their tenants pay rent that is on average about 25 percent below market.

Mamdani can appoint five members of the nine-member board this year, giving him a majority. Whatever decision the board makes would come into effect on Oct. 1 and only for leases that start on that date or later.

However, it’s not just tenants who are struggling with affordability. Costs for landlords have increased, too.

“You already have a lot of landlords that are really struggling to operate in the black,” said Seamus Nally, the chief executive at TurboTenant, a property management platform that caters to smaller-scale landlords.

Maintenance costs have increased by some 40 percent since 2019 and insurance costs skyrocketed by 150 percent, according to a report by the Furman Center, New York University’s housing think-tank.

Meanwhile, New York’s 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act not only made it nearly impossible to release rental units from rent-stabilization, but also capped how much landlords can hike rents, regardless of how much they need to invest in renovations.

Since then, net income from rent-stabilized units has dropped by some 12 percent, according to the Furman Center.

Mamdani’s rent freeze would add yet another squeeze.

“The landlords we’ve got an opportunity to talk to in the area, they’re very concerned,” Nally said.

There also appears to be a growing phenomenon in the city, where landlords leave vacated rent-stabilized apartments empty.

There are now estimated 50,000 to 100,000 such empty units in the city now, Lynch said.

Landlords used to be able to release such homes from rent-stabilization and thus have a prospect to recoup the substantial capital investment many require. In some cases, however, that led to abuse where landlords harassed tenants into leaving so they could hike rents. The 2019 law put a stop to that.

However, it now appears that some landlords are stuck with dilapidated apartments that are not worth fixing.

“You’re looking at non-compliant electric, non-compliant plumbing, potentially structural issues that need to be addressed. And that’s in addition to the standard stuff, like replacing floors, replacing appliances,” Lynch said.

Rather than sinking capital in such projects, some landlords bank on the building going up in price over time or that the law will eventually change, he said.

Government Intervention

Mamdani tapped Cea Weaver, a tenant activist, to head his Office to Protect Tenants. Weaver lobbied for the 2019 state law and has proposed that the city buy “buildings where the landlord is no longer interested in ownership.”

In January, Mamdani tried to delay the sale of one such distressed landlord, Pinnacle Group, which went bankrupt after its business model of hiking rents on rent-stabilized units unraveled. However, the sale went through, and Summit Properties USA obtained over 5,000 mostly rent-stabilized housing units for less than $90,000 per unit.

Lynch doubted whether Mamdani would actually pursue the course outlined by Weaver, as it would come with political responsibility for extensive tenant complaints.

It’s easy to be the “knight in shining armor” speaking on behalf of dissatisfied tenants, but “once you directly assume those problems and the realities of addressing the problems, you learn it’s much harder,” he said.

Public Construction

Another aspect of Mamdani’s plan involves substantially increasing the quantity of affordable housing paid for with public funds. He has promised 200,000 housing units in 10 years at the cost of $100 billion.

He proposed financing this by drawing on municipal bonds and hiking taxes on richer city dwellers. Both of those proposals, however, would require state approval.

Mamdani may get some support from Gov. Kathy Hochul, who may be eager to court his voters, Lynch said.

“That will be a big part of her voting base if she runs for reelection” later this year, he said.

Still, the city already carries a substantial debt burden with its interest expenses having risen by more than 20 percent since 2023.

Mamdani promised to expedite approvals of affordable housing projects, while at the same time promising to use all union labor, which would significantly limit capacity.

There’s still much uncertainty about how the plan will look and what aspects of it will materialize, Griffith said.

Mamdani promises that the public will pay, while the previous mayor, Eric Adams, promised the private sector would pay. And before that, Mayor Bill DeBlasio was “somewhat in the middle of those two,” she said.

“And where are we at now? We still have an affordability crisis,” Griffith said.

The next big question is what will happen with whatever housing Mamdani manages to build. The city’s public housing projects have been notorious for slow and inadequate maintenance, even as the city’s housing expenses nearly doubled since 2022.

Nally argued it may be more effective to make it easier for the residents, rather than the government, to build housing. He gave the example of Austin, Texas, where easing regulations helped to spur a housing construction boom.

“I’m skeptical that what will work is more government involvement when some of the petri dishes that we’ve seen work across the United States have actually used less government involvement,” he said.

Tyler Durden
Tue, 02/03/2026 – 15:20

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/mamdani-nyc-housing-plan-has-insiders-curious-skeptical 

Posted in News

Controversia por nombres que gobierno de EEUU le ha dado a sus redadas migratorias

Por MATT BROWN y TERRY TANG

WASHINGTON (AP) — Una en Florida se llamó Operación Dirtbag. En Luisiana hubo una llamada Operación Catahoula Crunch o Swamp Sweep. En Maine, fue llamada Operación Catch of the Day.

Los nombres que el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional le ha dado a sus redadas migratorias, aunados al tono a veces mordaz y burlón en sus declaraciones oficiales, provoca opiniones polarizadas: ¿Son los nombres graciosos u ofensivos? Las reacciones a menudo dependen de la afiliación política y del apoyo que uno tiene a las operaciones, que afectan mayormente a comunidades negras e hispanas.

Los nombres envían un mensaje de que los inmigrantes en Estados Unidos son “infrahumanos”, afirmó el congresista Jimmy Gomez, un demócrata de California, a The Associated Press.

“Por eso tienen esos nombres repugnantes”, declaró Gomez, quien forma parte del Comité de Inteligencia de la Cámara de Representantes. Los gobiernos “ni siquiera usan ese tipo de lenguaje cuando realizan operaciones en el exterior, con algunos de los peores terroristas imaginables”.

Pero el congresista Brandon Gill cree que los nombres demuestran que el presidente Donald Trump se toma en serio la tarea de controlar la inmigración ilegal y asegurar la frontera.

“Creo que lo único que está haciendo es hacerles saber que seguimos siendo serios al respecto”, expresó el republicano de Texas. “Somos serios sobre mantener la frontera segura. Somos serios sobre deportar a los inmigrantes ilegales”.

¿Qué hay en un nombre?

Históricamente, los nombres para operaciones militares delicadas de Estados Unidos no han sido términos pegajosos, sino algo benigno. En tiempos de guerra, eran nombres que podían dar referencia correcta a la persona adecuada sin despertar sospechas en espías o en el papel, explicó Michael O’Hanlon, director de investigación en política exterior en la Institución Brookings y autor de varios libros sobre historia militar y estrategia de defensa de Estados Unidos. Citó planes de la era de la Segunda Guerra Mundial como la Operación Market Garden y la Operación Torch como ejemplos.

En la era moderna, los nombres clave para las operaciones son una oportunidad para que una administración proyecte una imagen de su visión. Por ejemplo, el presidente George W. Bush a menudo proponía nombres con el tema de la libertad. También pueden ser una oportunidad “para cantar victoria”. La administración Trump nombró su campaña de bombardeo relámpago sobre Irán en 2025 como Operación Midnight Hammer.

“A veces, cuando saben que van a ganar y quieren exhibir su beneficio político, a veces usan un nombre algo vanaglorioso como ‘resolución absoluta’, que solo pretende transmitir esta bravata”, indicó O’Hanlon. “Pero, si alguna vez no estás seguro de las perspectivas, intentas usar un nombre un poco más genérico o vago para que nadie pueda averiguar cómo será la misión de antemano”.

En el caso de las recientes redadas migratoria, los nombres comunican “su motivación, su propósito y, por lo tanto, su justificación”, agregó.

La administración también ha dado el mismo tratamiento a las instalaciones de detención de inmigrantes, incluyendo Speedway Slammer en Indiana, Cornhusker Clink en Nebraska, y Alligator Alcatraz y Deportation Depot en Florida. Han sido la base de memes en internet y mercancía en línea.

“Pareciera que solo están tratando de comercializar sus centros de detención de una manera provocadora”, señaló Héctor Díaz, un abogado de inmigración de Miami que ha representado a más de dos docenas de clientes hispanos detenidos en Florida.

“Racista y degradante”

La Operación Catch of the Day, que concluyó en Maine el mes pasado, inmediatamente provocó reacciones de rechazo entre los legisladores demócratas cuando se anunció por primera vez. La congresista Chellie Pingree calificó la marca como “racista y degradante” para los habitantes de Maine en general y para las comunidades inmigrantes del estado en particular.

“Es una broma de mal gusto”, apuntó Pingree, expresidenta de la Cámara de Representantes de Maine que se postula para gobernadora, en una publicación en redes sociales.

Sheena Bellows, secretaria de gobierno demócrata de Maine que también se postula para gobernadora, denunció “la operación grotescamente nombrada”, advirtiendo que las acciones y el mensaje de la administración Trump han enfriado la vida empresarial y cívica en el estado.

“Cuando los agentes de ICE patrullan las calles y arrestan y encarcelan a personas erróneamente, entonces la gente tiene miedo de salir”, dijo Bellows a AP.

El senador estatal demócrata Joe Baldacci coincidió: “Esto no es una comida en el menú de un restaurante. Estas son las vidas de las personas”.

Pero Jason Savage, director ejecutivo del Partido Republicano de Maine, aseguró en un correo electrónico que “quejarse del nombre de la operación es una distracción absurda del desastre absoluto que estos mismos demócratas han permitido que ocurra en todo Maine”.

Partidarios argumentan que los nombres muestran que Trump es serio

Los nombres de las redadas migratorias también han recibido críticas por tomar inspiración de la cultura pop. En noviembre, la administración Trump jugó con el popular libro infantil de 1952 “Charlotte’s Web” de E.B. White cuando le puso ese mismo nombre a una redada de inmigración en Charlotte, Carolina del Norte. Martha White aseveró que el autor, su abuelo, habría odiado la referencia porque “creía en el Estado de Derecho y el debido proceso”.

Los nombres persisten, incluso después de que algunos funcionarios de Trump mencionaran la posibilidad de restringir a los agentes federales tras las muertes de los ciudadanos estadounidenses Renee Good y Alex Pretti en Minnesota y las acusaciones de otras conductas indebidas por parte de policías federales de inmigración.

Los demócratas del Congreso han prometido investigaciones sobre la conducta y los posibles abusos por parte de los oficiales de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas y de la Patrulla Fronteriza, y han prometido investigar la retórica y las publicaciones en redes sociales de la agencia si ganan el control de alguna de las cámaras este año.

Los nombres de las operaciones solo están sumando al daño causado por el “perfil racial inconstitucional y las tácticas policiales imprudentes e irresponsables” de la administración, afirmó Debu Gandhi, director senior de política de inmigración en el Center for American Progress, un grupo de expertos liberal.

“Estados Unidos puede tener una frontera segura y una aplicación efectiva de las leyes de inmigración sin el tipo de crueldad y caos sin ley que hemos visto de Trump”, destacó Gandhi.

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Tang reportó desde Phoenix.

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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/03/controversia-por-nombres-que-gobierno-de-eeuu-le-ha-dado-a-sus-redadas-migratorias/