Attendees Of Housing Commission Meeting Argue Affordable Housing

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Dozens of attendees at an April 29 Arlington Heights Housing Commission meeting argued about whether affordable housing in the village is needed or could lead to violent crime, despite a plan to discuss the topic around the proposed Arlington 425 project, according to the Chicago Tribune. The Arlington 425 project would include 182 apartments and up to 24,000 square feet of business space all inside a nine-story building at 225 W. Campbell Street, the news report said. In addition, 125 more units in 13 stories above a several-story parking garage at 44 S. Highland Avenue and dozens more units in a four-story building at 33 S. Chestnut Street are also part of the proposed project, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Village staff recommended the Arlington 425 project include 18 affordable housing units priced at 60 percent of the area median income in Arlington Heights. Staff projected this would come out to be $889 per month for a studio unit and $952 per month for a one-bedroom unit, Charles Perkins, village director of planning and community development said, according to the Chicago Tribune.

However, developer Bruce Adreani, president of Norwood Builders said the proposed calculation of 60 percent isn't going to work, according to the news report. Adreani's attorney Michael Firsel, of the Bannockburn law firm Firsel Ross, said that if any potential residents had criminal records, they wouldn't get a voucher for an affordable housing unit in the proposed project, the Chicago Tribune said, adding that the village board is expected to vote on the Arlington 425 project at an upcoming meeting.

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