Overview
- Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. confirmed he will resign his 27th Ward seat at the end of July regardless of whether he becomes CEO of the Chicago Housing Authority.
- Mayor Brandon Johnson has named Burnett one of three finalists to lead the CHA, praising his rare lived experience in public housing.
- Burnett hopes Mayor Johnson will appoint his 29-year-old son, Walter R. Burnett, to succeed him in the 27th Ward.
- With 30 years on the City Council—including roles as vice mayor and zoning committee chair—Burnett brings four decades of policymaking and personal ties to Rockwell Gardens and Cabrini Green.
- He cited the recent death of his mother and his wife’s encouragement as key factors in his decision to step away and refocus on family life.