North Cook News

Village Board of Skokie Trustee Keith Robinson recently requested for the village board and planning commission to look into long-term zoning requirements to increase access to affordable housing.

Robinson brought up the issue during the Dec. 19 board meeting where the village board was considering two types of developments — a mixed-use site with the upper level being residential and first level commercial, and a subdivision.

“I didn't want to go into the New Year without expressing my share of concern about affordable housing in Skokie,” Robinson said at the meeting. “I also understand and am incredibly grateful for some of the developers who are seeing us and prioritizing our affordable housing, however that looks currently. I appreciate the village staff's efforts and commend them on their work and their effort for ensuring that all expectations are met with all new development coming in Skokie, and I also appreciate the village's affordable housing past practices as a priority. But I cannot accept the fact that there is no current ordinance that governs affordable housing in Skokie.”

Robinson made a motion to bring it to the planning commission who would hold a public hearing and discuss the issue with a timeframe of bringing an ordinance to the village board by the end of the first quarter of the year. It was confirmed with the village manager that this was a feasible plan and timeline.

Many residents who attended the meeting thanked the trustees for making the motion as there is a very low percentage of developments representing affordable housing. They spoke about the very high numbers of refugees in the village, as well as retirees.

The board discussed creating incentives for existing and new developments to focus on making housing more affordable.