Housing and Community
Development Commission
Minutes Report - Draft
September 23, 2014
housing. Ms. Rivkin offered her agency’s assistance with the County’s fair housing testing.
Ms. Mary Ellen Tamasy, Executive Director of Lake County Residential Development
Corporation (LCRDC), spoke of Lake County’s leadership position in developing
affordable housing. Ms. Tamasy has encountered obstacles to providing housing options,
especially in the development of rental housing for families. Many of the County’s
municipalities have zoning laws that can prevent or create difficulties in developing rental
housing, thereby limiting the majority of rental units to five or six communities. She
agreed with the Coalition’s suggestion that the County review the UDO to ensure that it
does not place any impediments to the creation of housing choice within the
unincorporated areas, thereby encouraging the municipalities to follow its example and
remove any barriers they might impose to fair housing choice.
A motion was made by Commissioner Venturi, seconded by Commissioner Rosenthal, to
close the public hearing on the AI at 4:32 p.m. The motion was approved by all members.
6.3
14-0958
Public Hearing on Fifth Amendment to 2013 Action Plan
Ms. Gingiss presented an overview of the four changes incorporated within the Fifth
Amendment to the 2013 Annual Action Plan, as detailed within the agenda packet. The
first two changes stipulated that the Cities of Waukegan and North Chicago would like to
sub-grant their PY2013 HOME funds, usually used for homeowner rehabilitation projects,
to non-profit affordable housing developers. Waukegan would sub-grant its funds to
Habitat for Humanity, while North Chicago would sub-grant its funds to LCRDC, as part of
the North Chicago Strategic Revitalization Program. The third change would involve the
switching of locations between the HOME-funded Glenkirk CILA rehabilitation house with
the agency’s Lake County Affordable Housing Program-funded (LCAHP) house, in order
to avoid any possible problems with HUD’s rules on facilities versus group homes. As a
result of HOME absorbing a more costly Glenkirk rehabilitation, Community Partners for
Affordable Housing (CPAH) will have its HOME funds reduced to cover the difference. Ms.
Gingiss said that CPAH’s reduced HOME funding will be offset by a proposed increase in
LCAHP funding during Item #6.5.
A motion was made by Commissioner Venturi, seconded by Vice-Chairman Pedersen, to
open the public hearing on the Fifth Amendment to the 2013 Annual Action Plan at 4:39
p.m. The motion was approved by all members.
Ms. Julie Donovan, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity, thanked the HCDC and
the City of Waukegan for continued support of affordable housing and of Habitat. She said
that the funds would really make a difference to the community, providing permanent
affordable housing for at least five families.
A motion was made by Commissioner Venturi, seconded by Commissioner Hart, to close
Lake County Illinois
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