Affordable Housing
Ann has been involved with housing issues for decades, and it remains an important issue to her work on City Council. For a city unable to expand geographically, Evanston must seek new ways to provides a mix of housing. Ann continues to champion the needs of residents through affordable housing and developing creative solutions. COVID has increased the number of Evanston residents who are facing home insecurity, and she supports using affordable housing funds for desperate housing situations due to COVIDs, if absolutely necessary.
Providing affordable units
The 8th Ward will continue to lead the city in providing affordable housing with two new developments being constructed on Howard Street, which will add 65 affordable units. These are in addition to the many scattered affordable projects throughout the ward.
The Evanston Senior Housing project will provide 60 affordable housing units for seniors.
At the groundbreaking in November, Ann is joined by CJE SeniorLife’s Dan Fagin, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Mayor Steve Hagerty and Evergreen Real Estate Group’s David Block. Photo: rejournals.com
Evergreen Real Estate Group, along with Council for Jewish Elderly have begun construction of Evanston Senior Housing, a 60-unit affordable rental community at 999–1011 Howard Street. The 73,000 square foot building, comprised of 54 one-bedroom and six two-bedroom units, will be 100% affordable for seniors over 62. Ann supported the development through the city’s process and facilitated neighborhood meetings with the developer to help explain the phases of construction and the impact it will have on the neighbors. The developer regularly provides written updates to the entire adjacent neighborhood and has established a website as well.
Evanston Gateway will develop a gap in the Howard streetscape and bring additional retail to the street.
The mixed-use development Evanston Gateway will transform a prominent, long-vacant assemblage of properties into a welcoming, 26-unit rental building at Howard and Chicago Ave. The five-story development includes five affordable units. Ann and the developer are working to secure a small grocer to occupy the first-floor retail space. The developer reports he expects to be in the ground in April.
There are many other affordable units located in the ward. Housing Opportunity Development Corporation (HODC) has affordable housing options located at Brummel and Elmwood, and a four-townhouse building on Callan. Other scattered site units include The Housing Authority of Cook County’s (HACC) on Oakton; Shore Community Service’s Patricia Lloyd Townhomes on Brummel; Rimland House, a collaborative care site on Hartrey; Brinshore LiveEvanston Rentals offers eight, high-quality locations on Callan, Case, Custer, Hull Terrace and Mulford.
Ann gathers with HODC’s Richard Koenig, city staff and residents in front of one of the many affordable units in the 8th Ward.
Twelve affordable, family-oriented condos were developed by the Evanston Housing Coalition on Clyde. Reba Place Development Corporation maintains an affordable-housing 12-condo conversion on Mulford, and Anixter’s Evanston Apartments on Dobson is a totally accessible and affordable rental.
Proposed in 2017, the Evanston Rental Assistance Program presented by Ann died because of a lack of support from Council and staff. She hopes that a new Council will consider the plan to provide direct subsidies to Evanston families for move-in support. One of the barriers to getting an apartment is the need for a security deposit, hooking up utilities and other moving expenses. Using funds from the Affordable Housing Fund, the proposal targets persons who were employed and earning 30% to 60% area median income.
Expanding options through ADUs and micro homes
Ann supports the city’s efforts to explore how to expand housing options that meets the needs and desires of residents seeking different housing options. By lessening restrictions on coachhouses and changing the Zoning Ordinance to permit different types of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), the city can allow for more density in some of the city’s most restrictive zoning districts.
