FROM: Sheri Latash Co-President, League of Women Voters of Glenview/Glencoe RE: Bess Hardware Proposal spoken with our League members as well as a variety of experts--from When the League of Women Voters last advocates to developers to village staff. appeared before the board on this The inescapable conclusions we have matter, we asked two questions: How reached are twofold: does the redevelopment of the Bess property intersect with Glenview's there is an incomplete 2015 Affordable Housing Plan; and, understanding of what affordable were any of the proposed 72 units set housing is, and is not, who is eligible to aside for affordable housing? live in it, and where it is located. The answer to those questions was that the Village has not imposed Second, there needs to be an open affordable housing mandates on public process that developers. Which got us to --examines the current state of exactly how will Glenview meet affordable housing in Glenview, and the goals set out in our affordable --researches best practices and housing plan, development of which alternatives to its financing, was/is required by the Illinois --educates the public on the Affordable Housing Planning and findings. Appeal Act? Though that law does not require municipalities to make Without such a process it is difficult to affordable units available, the real imagine public support for actually question becomes "How will Glenview implementing the Affordable Housing meet both the letter AND SPIRIT of the Plan. law?" For this reason, we call on the village Since that June 5 board meeting, we board to create a housing commission have made a singular attempt to learn comprised of village staff, affordable more about affordable housing in housing developers, local civic general, and Glenview in particular. organizations, local housing advocacy We've done extensive reading on organizations, members of the public, everything from successful inclusion and housing public policy experts. The efforts in Arlington Heights, Highland work of this commission could guide Park, and Lake Forest, to the recent the village board in making decisions collaborative effort of the Metropolitan about future property Mayors Caucus/CMAP/Metropolitan redevelopments, as the Lake Forest, Planning Council/DePaul University's Highland Park, and Arlington Heights Institute for Housing Studies housing commissions have done. (regionalhousingsolutions.org). We've
FROM: Sheri Latash Co-President, League of Women Voters of Glenview/Glencoe RE: Bess Hardware Proposal When the League of Women Voters last appeared before the board on this matter, we asked two questions: How does the redevelopment of the Bess property intersect with Glenview's 2015 Affordable Housing Plan; and, were any of the proposed 72 units set aside for affordable housing? The answer to those questions was that the Village has not imposed affordable housing mandates on developers. Which got us to exactly how will Glenview meet the goals set out in our affordable housing plan, development of which was/is required by the Illinois Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act? Though that law does not require municipalities to make affordable units available, the real question becomes "How will Glenview meet both the letter AND SPIRIT of the law?" Since that June 5 board meeting, we have made a singular attempt to learn more about affordable housing in general, and Glenview in particular. We've done extensive reading on everything from successful inclusion efforts in Arlington Heights, Highland Park, and Lake Forest, to the recent collaborative effort of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus/CMAP/Metropolitan Planning Council/DePaul University's Institute for Housing Studies (regionalhousingsolutions.org). We've spoken with our League members as well as a variety of experts--from advocates to developers to village staff. The inescapable conclusions we have reached are twofold: there is an incomplete understanding of what affordable housing is, and is not, who is eligible to live in it, and where it is located. Second, there needs to be an open public process that --examines the current state of affordable housing in Glenview, and --researches best practices and alternatives to its financing, --educates the public on the findings. Without such a process it is difficult to imagine public support for actually implementing the Affordable Housing Plan. For this reason, we call on the village board to create a housing commission comprised of village staff, affordable housing developers, local civic organizations, local housing advocacy organizations, members of the public, and housing public policy experts. The work of this commission could guide the village board in making decisions about future property redevelopments, as the Lake Forest, Highland Park, and Arlington Heights housing commissions have done.
2018-JULY-Voter-Challengeedited.docx