Affordable Housing in Winnetka Organizer Honored

Gail Schechter, a community organizer focusing on affordable housing in Winnetka and Wilmette (among other Northern communities) will be honored in May.

Gail Schechter, a community organizer focused on affordable housing, will be receiving this year's Miller Housing Justice Award for her work organizing residents in Winnetka, Wilmette, Northbrook and Park Ridge, among other northern suburbs.  The award will be presented by the Winnetka-based organization Open Communities at the 4th Rayna and Marvin Miller Housing Justice Award Benefit, a evening that aims to celebrate grassroots achievement and fair and affordable housing in Chicago's northern suburbs.  "[Schechter] is being honored for organizing racially, ethnically and economically diverse residents in the northern suburbs, including low-income Morton Grove motel tenants, Skokie cab drivers and Highwood Latino renters fighting …

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Rintz to Mount Independent Bid Against Greable

Former Trustee Chris Rintz to challenge Caucus' village president candidate; challenger Patrick Livney fails to replace Joe Adams on the Caucus' slate of trustee candidates.

Next April’s Winnetka elections promise to be interesting as former trustee Chris Rintz said he will mount an independent campaign for Village President following Winnetka Caucus Council’s selection of Gene Greable for that post.    More political intrigue could also be forming in terms of the village board elections, where challenger Patrick Livney did not win enough votes to replace Joe Adams on the Caucus’ slate of candidates for Village Trustee.  Incumbents Arthur Braun and Richard Kates led the pack with 436 and 429 votes respectively. Adams, Winnetka’s Zoning Board of Appeals Chair, received 310 votes and Livney came in fourth with 216. In what was at times a raucous atmosphere Monday night at the Skokie School, Winnetka residents …

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What Do You Think of the Winnetka Affordable Housing Referendum?

Expanding Winnetka's current Affordable Housing Plan is one of two referenda questions on the March 20 ballot for Winnetka residents.

Winnetka has two referenda questions on its March 20 ballot — one on the village's current Affordable Housing Plan and one about the inclusion of affordable housing for the development of the Post Office Site. Those two questions seem to have touched a nerve with residents, so we wanted to start a dialogue on the site for those who feel passionately about the issues and those who are still undecided. Today we're exploring the first question. Please vote in our poll below and then share your thoughts in the comment section. Related: Get all your March 20 ballot information at Winnetka-Glencoe Patch's Election Central. Here's the official wording of the first ballot question: "Should the Village of Winnetka expand our existing Affordable …

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Winnetka Trustees Respond to Dec. 6 Meeting

Patch asks for follow-up reactions to the pivotal meeting, during which affordable housing and the property maintenance code were discussed.

On Friday, Dec. 9, Winnetka-Glencoe Patch sent emails to the seven members of the Winnetka Village Council and asked for reactions to the Dec. 6 meeting. We explained that their responses would be published in one follow-up article. Village trustees voted 4-3 on Dec. 6 to approve a resolution to halt the affordable housing debate and voted in favor of the property maintenance code.* EARLIER: Tempers Flare as Winnetka Halts Affordable Housing Debate Following that email, we also called each trustee and the village president on Monday at their home phone number to confirm they received the message. Below, you can see the responses from those trustees who answered. Of the seven, three offered their thoughts, which have not been edited except …

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Letters To The Editor

Letter to the Editor: Outcomes from Dec. 6 Council Meeting

The leaders of Winnetka Is Neighborly (WIN) share their thoughts on recent debates in Winnetka Village Council.

To the Editor:  We’d like to clarify a few very important outcomes of the Dec. 6 Council meeting that have been misconstrued in most press reports.  The two issues that dominated were: 1) passage of the "Kates Resolution," which would have permanently shelved discussion of an affordable housing plan; and 2) passage of a Property Maintenance Code (PMC).  RELATED: Tempers Flare as Winnetka Halts Affordable Housing Debate  Regarding issue #1: It’s critical to understand that the trustees amended the Kates Resolution before passing it. The amended resolution temporarily, rather than permanently, ends discussion of Winnetka's proposed AH Plan. The primary reason given was the current economic climate. Also important is that the amended …

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Winnetka Votes to End Affordable Housing Plan; Property Maintenance Code Passes

Tensions ran high during a five-hour village council meeting Tuesday night, when legislation for affordable housing and property maintenance code were under the microscope.

NEWS BRIEF, 1:30 a.m. Affordable Housing Village trustees voted 4-3 to approve a resolution to end the affordable housing debate in Winnetka. After several hours of public comments and trustee debate, the resolution was amended and a majority of council members voted that the council should not expand the current affordable housing plan. This effectively puts to rest the plan prescribed by the Winnetka Plan Commission, which worked on new affordable housing legislation for about five years. Becky Hurley of the Plan Commission said, "It was a spirited discussion that got to the values of our community. I respect the council's decision. However, I am unclear about the priorities of the village." She noted the different affordable housing …

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Winnetka Council Caucus Nominates Trustees, Approves Platform

In its annual meeting, the Winnetka Council Caucus reviewed its picks and policies for the upcoming election.

The Winnetka Council Caucus voted on its candidates for village trustee and approved this year's platform at its annual meeting on Monday. Winnetka residents dotted the Skokie School Auditorium and voted with their voices in what caucus chairman Irma Villarreal described as the "purest form of government." Despite anticipated conflict over issues such as affordable housing and stormwater management, the meeting was relatively calm. Some residents commented amongst themselves afterward that it was one of the shortest they could remember. Earlier: Differing Opinions on Affordable Housing at the Winnetka Council Meeting In all, three candidates for trustee were unanimously approved to represent the caucus in the upcoming election: Jack Buck: …

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Differing Opinions on Affordable Housing at the Winnetka Council Meeting

During a three-hour meeting, Winnetka residents and community leaders shared their thoughts on the affordable housing plan.

Winnetka trustees took a straw poll on Tuesday night and said they would heed their constituents' desire to put a formal end to the affordable housing discussion at their Dec. 6 meeting. READ MORE: Winnetka Residents Debate Affordable Housing at Council Meeting Below is a cross-section of voices heard at the council meeting. In support of the affordable housing discussion: In opposition of the affordable housing discussion: Caucus Stats Carol Fessler, of the Winnetka Caucus Council, presented survey results that showed that 67 percent of taxpayers in the village do not want to pursue the Affordable Housing Plan, as drafted by the Winnetka Plan Commission. Conversely, Fessler said, 27 percent of those surveyed said they thought there should…

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Lynn Sanders

12:22 am on Monday, December 5, 2011

We need affordable housing in Winnetka! The Caucus Survey was not filled out by the majority of Winnetka citizens, so the percentages quoted in the stats are not accurate. Unfortunately, too many Winnetka residents are not being fully informed by the WHOA group -- which has been bombarding citizens with negative emails about affordable housing. Tax rates will NOT be affected. The "affordable" …   more ›

Winnetka Residents Debate Affordable Housing at Council Meeting

Winnetka trustees indicate their intent to end the affordable housing discussion.

Though messy at times, the right to free speech was exercised Tuesday at Winnetka's Village Council meeting. The result: Trustees plan to put to sleep any further discussion of affordable housing. A heated debate about lingering affordable housing issues dominated the meeting, which spilled into the hallway with only standing room for audience members. Earlier: Property Maintenance Code Debate Heats Up Caucus Stats Carol Fessler, of the Winnetka Caucus Council, presented survey results that showed that 67 percent of taxpayers in the village do not want to pursue the Affordable Housing Plan, as drafted by the Winnetka Plan Commission. Conversely, Fessler said, 27 percent of those surveyed said they thought there should be at least some …

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Homeowners Group Files Signatures on Affordable Housing

WHOA submitted signatures for a referendum on affordable housing in Winnetka.