By: Diane Benjamin
Public comment about 1 property – 1 Whites Place where a developer did plan to convert the house into 4 apartments but now is planning 9 apartments. Many residents attended the meeting since the City Code is not being followed and they are worried about parking and safety.
The area residents are not afraid of rental properties, only the number of units and City Code not being followed. The building has been empty for 20 months and therefore should have been required to appear before the Zoning Board of Appeals. That has not happened. One speaker also worried about the safety of the people living in the house with 9 apartments jammed into it with limited escape routes.
Property owner – note Chicago:
I don’t know if this is affecting City decisions, but it sure could be: https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/nation/2021/04/14/zoning-biden-infrastructure-bill-would-curb-single-family-housing/7097434002/ This is a policy started under Obama and resurrected by Biden.
Biden’s proposal would award grants and tax credits to cities that change zoning laws to bolster more equitable access to affordable housing. A house with a white picket fence and a big backyard for a Fourth of July barbecue may be a staple of the American dream, but experts and local politicians say multifamily zoning is key to combating climate change, racial injustice and the nation’s growing affordable housing crisis.
Zoning laws don’t need to be changed if they are ignored. The last line is talking points, not reality. At the end of the meeting both Danenberger and Ward requested this issue be brought up at a future meeting. Meanwhile construction is probably happening at the house that will put the City in legal trouble if permits were issued.
Just hit play to hear the comments:
From the article:
“….experts and local politicians say multifamily zoning is key to combating climate change, racial injustice and the nation’s growing affordable housing crisis.”
HILARIOUS =
That the politicians say:
Multifamily zoning will combat climate change, racial injustice and affordable housing crisis.
When the reality is that politicians have created all of these “issues”
Especially, the affordable housing crisis – just review your property tax bill and your new property assessment – SKY HIGH!!. These tax increases impact everyone across the board – both homeowners and renters – because if you rent, then your rent will be increased to cover these crazy
tax increases.
And not just property taxes, which but unnecessarily strict zoning and building codes contribute to higher housing costs as well; so do cronyism in approving land development, building permits, etc,; and indirectly so do high taxes in general and inflationary spending policies.
There’s a Lot politicians could do to stop making housing unaffordable, but that would require them ceding some of their power and/or admitting government is part of the problem, two things they almost Never do. So we end up with finger-pointing and ever-increasing power grabs that tend to make the problem worse, but make room for More finger-pointing to continue the cycle…
That house on Whites Place has been run down for a long time. Recently someone began doing work on it and started on new vinyl siding. Its a big building and likely large enough for 9 units. Of course Danenberger wants it brought back up because he lives a few houses away. NIMBY
Oh Fudge!
I’m sure the nice folks at Whites Place will welcome the changes with open arms!
‘multifamily zoning will combat climate change, racial injustice and affordable housing crisis’…uh yeah, as with so many of these woke, humanitarian efforts follow the money to who really benefits
Exactly correct. The owner of the building that accepts section 8 receives money from the federal government which they’re supposed to reinvest in the property. But they don’t. They pocket the money and spend as little as possible.
Facts matter. The statements made at public comment regarding 1 White Place were misleading. That property has been zoned “non-conforming” or “grandfathered” as a 9 unit apartment building for decades. The building may be “unoccupied” due to remodeling based on building permits issued to the new property owner. At this point, there has been no trigger to support the need for a public hearing at the Zoning Board.
There are such things as property rights and due process protected by the Constitution.
Lets see 9 units make them affordable so lets say 9 single mothers with 2,3,4,or 5 kids move in. Now you have upwards of 18 to 45 more people or wait a minute the mother might have her boyfriend there that will add an extra nine now there could be 27 to 52 individuals added to your neighborhood with an extra nine to 18 cars wait a minute friends visiting could be 27 cars but now how do you entertain in such a small space lets cook out and party outside with the kids running around and loud music playing.
Don’t worry though your property values won’t decline a bit.
Sounds a bit extreme but it is possible are you willing to take the chance?
Oh I bet Molly is livid.