Cozen Cities – April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Housing & Real Estate

CHICAGO—City Begins Converting Loop Office Buildings to Housing

Chicago’s La Salle Corridor Revitalization Initiative kicked off last week, beginning with the transformation of a historic 14-story Loop office building into housing, adding over 1,000 new apartments.

LOS ANGELES—Mayor Bass Expedites Rebuilding in Palisades

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) issued an emergency executive order to expedite rebuilding the Palisades with fire-resistant materials and improved utility resilience.

PHILADELPHIA—Mayor Parker Unveils Details of $2B HOME Initiative

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker (D) unveiled details of her $2 billion Housing Opportunities Made Easy (HOME) Initiative last week, aimed at creating or preserving 30,000 housing units to provide affordable housing for low-income residents.

RICHMOND—City Council Approves $31M Affordable Housing for Young Adults

The Richmond City Council approved a $31 million project to build an 80-unit affordable housing complex for young adults experiencing housing instability, including those transitioning out of foster care.

SAN DIEGO—Mayor Gloria, City Council Seek to Refine Housing Program

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria (D) proposed refinements to the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Density Bonus Program to better align with community expectations and infrastructure realities while increasing affordability. The City Council voted to begin rolling back the ADU program last month due to similar concerns.

TWIN CITIES—St. Paul Council Weighs Ending Rent Control for New Construction

The St. Paul City Council is considering an amendment to exempt new construction from rent control regulations to boost housing development.

Labor & Employment

CHICAGO—CTU Joins City’s Firefighters to Secure Labor Contracts

In an attempt to address shared public safety issues, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has added pressure in their contract negotiations to also address the needs of the city’s firefighters.

LOS ANGELES—City Asks Municipal Workers to Defer Salary Hikes

To address a $1 billion budget deficit, the City of Los Angeles plans to ask municipal workers to defer salary hikes in exchange for fewer job cuts.

Policy & Politics

DETROIT—Mayor Duggan Touts Successes in Final State of the City Address

In Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s (D) final State of the City address, he highlighted his administration’s progress in development, crime reduction, restoring recreation centers, and eliminating abandoned housing.

RICHMOND—City Council Weighs Plastic Bag Tax, Polystyrene Ban

The Richmond City Council is considering proposals for a plastic bag tax, a balloon release ordinance, and a polystyrene ban during Earth Month to help meet the City’s waste reduction targets and advance environmental justice.

TWIN CITIES—Minneapolis City Council Bans Use of Algorithms to Set Rent

The Minneapolis City Council passed an ordinance banning landlords from using algorithms that use “non-public competitor data” to set rent and vacancy rates.

TWIN CITIES—St. Paul City Council Remains Evenly Divided

St. Paul’s divided six-member City Council failed to appoint a seventh member to the vacant Ward 4 seat last week. The appointment was recommended to avoid potential ties in upcoming votes on rent control, public safety, and budget matters.

Taxes & Spending

BALTIMORE—Mayor Scott’s FY26 Budget to Focus on Youth Jobs, School Sports, Safety

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott’s (D) FY26 budget proposal, to be unveiled this week, is expected to include major investments in youth jobs, school sports, violence reduction initiatives.

CHICAGO—Alders Push for Closing City’s $175M Budget Gap

Some members of the Chicago City Council are pushing to be included in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s (D) plans to address the $175 million budget gap from Chicago Public Schools’ unpaid pension reimbursement.

DETROIT—Mayoral Hopefuls Embrace Tax Breaks to Revive City

Several mayoral candidates see Detroit’s controversial tax abatements as key to stabilizing neighborhoods, bolstering small businesses, increasing affordable housing, and revitalizing commercial corridors.

RICHMOND—Mayor Avula Presents $3B FY26 Budget Proposal

Richmond Mayor Danny Avula’s (D) $3 billion FY26 budget includes investments in City employee salaries, technology, and police vehicles, with no tax hikes. Critics argue it lacks  funding for public schools and non-profit organizations.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Mayor Bowser Delays FY26 Budget Due to Federal Funding Uncertainty

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) delayed her 2026 budget proposal until the U.S. House decides on a legislative fix for a $1 billion spending cut impacting the City’s 2025 budget, creating significant uncertainty for future financial planning.

Transportation & Mobility

CHICAGO—Transit Agencies Warn of Drastic Cuts Amid $770M Shortfall

Chicago’s public transit system faces a $770 million budget shortfall, potentially leading to severe service cuts, job losses, and increased traffic congestion without additional state funding.

DETROIT—People Mover Study to Explore Light Rail Changes, Funding Options

The People Mover system plan—an $800,000 downtown mobility study set to begin next month—will help assess potential changes to Detroit’s light rail system, including an extension and new stations, and explore possible funding scenarios.

NEW YORK—Congestion Pricing Brings in $100M Over First 2 Months

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) collected more than $100 million in congestion pricing tolls between January 5 and the end of February, with nearly $52 million in February alone. Operating costs for the program totaled $23 million during the same period.

PHILADELPHIA—Proposed FY26 Budget Boosts Traffic, Bike Safety Funding, Excludes Zero Fare Program

Mayor Parker’s proposed budget allocates $10 million to enhance traffic safety and add concrete protection to popular bike lanes but excludes funding for the Zero Fare program, which provides free transportation for more than 22,000 low-income residents, due to the end of federal funding.

Authors

About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

About Cozen O’Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 31 offices across two continents.

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