I attended the McHenry County Board’s Workforce Housing Group meeting Monday.
Attending were Jim Haisler – Heartland Realtor Organization, Mayor Kevin Burns – Geneva, Mayor Mark Kownick – Cary, Chalen Daigle – MC County Coordinator, Jake Rohn – MC Workforce Network Board, Jim McConoughey – MCEDC, James Sitko – MCEDC, Scott Hennings – MCDOT, Faith Taylor – MC Community Development, Neeley Erickson – Illinois Realtors, Ed Dvorak – MCEDC, and Scott Hartman – MC Deputy County Administrator.
There are two County Board members who co-chair the Task Force.
Democrat Lou Ness was about ten minutes late for the Crystal Lake meeting. She announced that Co-Chair Pam Althoff (Republican) was in Africa.
Ness announced that a “white paper” would be produced after May 30th of next year.
Cary Mayor Mark Kownick spoke first, explaining how Cary is (and all other municipalities are) under the state requirement to have 10% of its housing considered affordable.
A developer approached the village with a proposal for a torn down factory site next to a cemetery, the town’s biggest apartemtn complex and near three churches within walking distance of the train station.
The developer was going to use Federal subsidies under a program Ronald Reagan championed when he was President.
To be eligible, one would have to be employed or be a senior citizen.
Kownick listed the types of jobs residents might have, e.g., teachers, police, lab techs.
“It was an incredibly divisive topic.”
“It was horrible,” Kownick declared.
He was accused of “getting money under the table.”
Others charged, “You’re bringing the slums out here now that they’ve torn down Cabrini Green.”
The reason, in his opinion, was because he didn’t explain the project up front.
Opponents thought it would be Section 8 housing, which it wasn’t.
They thought the sixty units would lead to school overcrowding.
It did not.
A Naperville study predicted a maximum on thirteen children in such a development, with an average of nine.
There were only nine when the Cary development was fully occupied.
Neighbors thought their property values would decrease.
Instead, they increased 15% in the first year.
Kownick suggested that such projects should be presented as economic development.
When a factory was on the property, the highest tax bill was $25,000.
The development pays $150,000.
There was fear there would be criminal activity, which would increase the need for police.
Most of the service calls were not from the police, but from fire department ambulances for problems seniors had.
Cary’s Mayor pointed out that every neighborhood in Cary has a domestic call.
And, contrary to fears it would be an eyesore, Kownick told how accomodating the developer was.
He wanted something that would fit into the neighborhood, something “that wouldn’t stand out.”
When he rejected boxy buildings with flat roofs, a proposal for four buildings was submitted.
Upon rejection, the developer told him the city could work directly with its architect.
Six buildings were the result which look like a townhome or condominium development.
The complex has a community building, but a proposed pool got thumbs down.
“We put this developer through the wringer,” Kownick said.
The units are not low end.
There are granite counter tops, for instance.
Management changes air conditioning and furnance filters monthly, providing an opportunity to find any problems.
Incomes are evaluated annually and those exceeding the allowed limit must move elsewhere.
One owner of eight single-family homes argued that the new development would be competition.
It turns out that his properties are ones that those whose incomes have increased too much go remain in the development might move to.
He was encouraged to proceed with approval by perhaps one of Cary’s largest employers, Vince Foglia, founder of Sage Products.
Foglia was interested in his employes being able to live closer to work, rather than having to commute in from “outlying areas.”
The intense opposition lead to Kownick winning re-election by only about 50 votes.
“Change is hard for most people,” he noted.
Besides criticism from community members, the biggest problem was the Illinois Housing Development Authority.
Getting approval of the Federal Housing Tax Credits was “cumbersome.”
= = = = =
Tomorrow, Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns’ experience.
Cary Mayor Mark Kownick spoke first, explaining how Cary is (and all other municipalities are) under the state requirement to have 10% of its housing considered affordable.
Please post the law as voted for by the representatives.
Is this a law, or a mandate?
or a wet dream?
What was the RINO Athoff doing in Africa?
Trying to bag a rhinoceros? Or shag a Kenyan?
She was there to kill Nazis, Baldo.
Kownick got lucky on this one.
It has turned out pretty good.
And he’s right he and the Board did not present it right to the residents, there were a lot of contentious Board meetings with nearby residents expressing concern it was too close (right next to) an existing Apartment complex with a long history of problems and police calls.
The residents were called racists and shouted down by other Cary residents that lived nowhere near the existing apartments and the proposed new complex.
Why this was not built by the railroad tracks near Aldi was proposed, plenty of vacant land, but the Kownick crew never considered it and further inflamed residents fears.
Again, it has worked out, no real problems out of there except for a guy with a gun who had to have SWAT get him out of there.
In the future though, Kownick would be wise to listen a little more closely to residents concerns and do a better job of presenting what it is.
Right now they have a TIF problem and fears people and businesses along and even near route 14 could all be “Tiffed out” of there if Developers have ideas and funds to build new businesses and potential hi rise mt prospect style apartment buildings.
Current Board members are useless to the residents, simply place holders and Kownick bobble headers.
What happened in Cary is coming to a town near you, it could be worse and truly be Section 8 to meet the 10% affordable requirement.
Be nice if leaders listened and worked with residents instead of like Cary, jammed it down their throats with an Oz has spoken kind of authority.
Dave Chapman was a Board member back then and went on to the Algonquin Township Board.
He would nod his head when residents spoke of concerns, but then do the exact opposite at voting time.
Kownick was the tie breaking vote as I recall back then.
Whatever.
It has worked out, its nice and Cary got lucky.
Good Luck to your town.
Why is it not called Low Income Housing?
Why is it not called Third World Criminal Housing?
Meet your new sec. 8 neighbor. He won’t bathe.
https://www.lakemchenryscanner.com/2023/10/17/man-arrested-after-allegedly-stealing-elderly-womans-wallet-at-crystal-lake-grocery-store-spending-almost-7000/