As Skokie considers what affordable housing should look like in the village, housing advocates, officials and others are weighing in, and an affordable housing ordinance is likely to be in the offing.
Trustee Keith Robinson in December proposed information-gathering toward an eventual affordable housing ordinance, two public hearings are being held Feb. 2 and March 2, and the Plan Commission is due to gauge the affordable housing situation and report to the Village Board by the end of March.
One of the forces that may have pushed the affordable housing topic to the fore is that local activists met each other while working last year on three referendums led by the Skokie Alliance for Electoral Reform, according to Skokie Neighbors for Housing Justice member Kimberly Polka.
“The referendum made it easier to find (like-minded) folks … to work with,” Polka said.
Skokie Neighbors for Housing Justice has issued a memo calling for several affordable housing measures to be considered.
The organization wants Skokie’s Board of Trustees to adopt a unified housing plan, create a housing assistance fund and ensure developers of new multifamily developments with more than 10 units tailor 30% of the units for those at 50% of area median income or below, among several other demands listed in its memo.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Development puts area median family income at $107,800 for fiscal year 2022 for the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet Fair Market Rent area, which includes Cook County and Skokie.
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Housing advocate Gail Schechter, who works as executive director at Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for the Elderly, said a land trust might be another alternative. A land trust is an entity providing affordable housing to low-to-moderate income households with a written agreement and managed by a nonprofit organization or board.
Skokie’s Director of Community Development Johanna Nyden on Feb. 2 presented potential affordable housing solutions to the village’s Plan Commission — several of which appear to line up, at least somewhat, with what the Skokie Neighbors for Housing Justice is asking for. She said the village needs to incorporate four things in its steps ahead — goal setting, investment in existing housing, housing creation and funding opportunities.
Skokie already has some programs oriented toward providing financial assistance for existing housing, Nyden told the commission on Feb. 2.
Skokie’s Housing Rehabilitation Program is one of these. Nyden said the program provides financial assistance to low-to-moderate income homeowners for home improvement projects. The program currently offers up to $12,000 toward improvements and averages six recipients a year totaling approximately $80,000, according to Nyden’s presentation. Nyden told the Plan Commission the program could be improved by identifying additional funding opportunities and working with a partner agency to increase the number of applicants.
Nyden also said the Neighborhood Housing Program, another home improvement funding program but focused toward a broader neighborhood scale, could be modified to encourage multi-family building owners to apply for funding.
Providing landlords and homeowners financial assistance toward upgrading or fixing the property could help lessen the financial burden they take from providing lower rental rents, she indicated.
Skokie Neighbors for Housing Justice said in its memo that it would like to see the village provide expanded funding for residents, landlords, developers and first-time home owners. The memo also suggested creating a subsidy program for rent, mortgages or property taxes for seniors, low-income families and people with disabilities.
The village has incorporated inclusionary housing into recent developments, although not at the same rate Skokie Neighbors for Housing Justice is seeking. Village staff made an arrangement with a developer of 8029-8047 Skokie Boulevard that will provide three affordable housing units — of its 56 total units — at 100% of Area Median Income.
Nyden, in her February Board of Trustees presentation, said the developer will forego at least $306,000 — without considering inflation and potential market price increases — by providing these units at 100% of area median income for 20 years.
Her presentation shows the developer losing $956,000 during those 20 years if affordable housing units were priced toward 60% of area median income — which would still fall short of the 50% mark activists are requesting.
Skokie Director of Marketing and Communications Ann Tennes said it would be premature for the village to comment on the potential impact of affordable housing suggestions until the Plan Commission completes its exploration into the topic.
Activists say that financial ramifications for developers are justified because many developers seek variants and approval from the Board of Trustees, and in some cases TIF funding.
“One of the issues we’re concerned about is at every board meeting, there’s a list of variances developers are asking for,” resident Emi Yamauchi said. “Developers are asking for things from the village and they’re getting it.”
“We want to start from a higher baseline and negotiate, while also making sure that the village is getting (affordable units in exchange).”
Polka said these affordable units will help buildings fill up more quickly, bringing developers more revenue than a potentially more expensive but vacant unit.
Skokie Neighbors for Housing Justice say these affordable housing measures are needed because 76% of Skokie renters and 79.9% of Skokie homeowners making less than $50,000 a year are spending more than 30% of their income on housing, according to a 2021 American Community Survey outlined in the organization’s memo. The group also alleges that since Village of Skokie and Skokie-Morton Grove School District 69 workers are not making enough money to afford the Skokie housing market, something needs to be reevaluated.
Polka said she hopes this Plan Commission study isn’t just a box on the Village Board’s checklist but rather the beginning of a long-term conversation going forward.
Links to the Plan Commission’s March 2 meeting and other videos of meetings are available on the village’s website. Skokie is also accepting public input via [email protected].