Winnetka PD: No Formal Complaints of Harassment of Trustee Candidate Supporters

Winnetka Home Owners Association warned its readers who support Patrick Livney about potential harassing calls or visits.

The Winnetka Home Owners Association’s (WHOA) newsletter recently said some people who wrote to the organization reported receiving harassing phone calls or visits because of their support for a Village Trustee candidate. Winnetka police say no formal complaints have been filed regarding the issue.  “I should probably warn everyone who has written to WHOA lately that they will likely get a harassing phone call (or even a visit) from someone who is tracking this blog and personally stalking everyone who has spoken up for Patrick Livney,” the newsletter said.  Livney failed to get Winnetka Caucus Council's support to remain on the proposed Village Trustee slate in October. Joe Adams replaced him on the slate.  At Tuesday night's Annual Town …

•  6 Comments
• Photos (1)

Updated: Winnetka Votes Down Affordable Housing Referendum

More than 2,000 people voted against the initiative, while roughly 690 residents voted for the referendum.

Of the 2,722 Winnetkans who voted in the affordable housing referendum, roughly 75.4 percent voted down the initiative. Meanwhile only about 25.4 percent of voters, or 692 people, were in favor of the objecitve. "It's no surprise, the Village of Winnetka voted against affordable housing in 2005 when they voted for home rule, and just past summer 78 percent of the respondents to the caucus survey said they didn't want it." said Carry Buck, chair of WHOA, "This is what we expected and it's another landslide." Earlier: What Do You Think of the Winnetka Affordable Housing Referendum? But, according to Gail Schechter, the executive director of the Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs, the vote is an innaccurate gauge of Winnetkans …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (2)

Interfaith Housing Center Hosts Public Forum on North Shore Integration

Officials from the North Shore housing organization push for integrated communities.

What do three high school principals, officials from various political organizations in the Chicago area and a professor at John Marshall Law School have in common? Each of them attended a public forum on diversity in North Shore public schools and fair housing Sunday at Winnetka Community Church. The forum was hosted by Winnetka-based Interfaith Housing Center, which defines its aims on its website as “educating, advocating, and organizing to uphold just and integrated communities for fair housing.” The forum, "Inclusive Community, Inclusive Schools," fostered debate on public education and its relationship to diversity, opportunity and housing with guest speakers from Northbrook, Evanston and Skokie. Earlier: Affordable Housing Strategy …

•  59 Comments
• Photos (1)

Political Organization Touts Multi-Million Dollar Tunnel as Winnetka Marvel

“We love the idea,” said Ann Dillon, chief editor of WHOA. “We don't know a single person who wants to throw a monkey wrench into the mix."

As talk of flood prevention in Winnetka gains momentum, leaders from the Winnetka Home Owners Association (WHOA) told the village council Tuesday night that one idea is nothing short of greatness: a $34 million drainage tunnel. Earlier: Council Reviews Possible Flood Prevention Plans “We believe that Winnetka is having a Daniel Burnham moment,” said Ann Dillon, chief editor of the Winnetka political organization. She then paraphrased the legendary Chicago architect: “Don't dream small dreams — they lack the magic to stir men’s souls.” That dream Dillon spoke of is eight-feet in diameter, requires the help of three state and national waterworks authorities, and looks to be the village's most expensive public works project ever proposed. …

• Photos (2)

Homeowners Group Files Signatures on Affordable Housing

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

Nonprofit Fires Back at Homeowners Association Claims

Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs reacts to Winnetka Home Owners Assocation's new website page.

In yet another rhetorical battle in the affordable housing war, a Winnetka-based nonprofit organization is fighting a homeowners association's new webpage that is dedicated to derailing the nonprofit's efforts. The Winnetka Home Owners Association (WHOA)'s new webpage about Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs (IHCNS) discusses the make-up of the nonprofit, its history and its goals. "Why won’t this Affordable Housing issue go away? Who is behind this? FOLLOW THE MONEY...," reads the top headline on the page. Gail Schechter, of the IHCNS, sent an email entitled "Open Letter to Our Supporters" on Tuesday. In the letter, the executive director said: "I'm writing you today because the Interfaith Housing Center and its mission are…

• Photos (2)

Winnetka Discusses Affordable Housing With North Shore Input

Winnetka's Plan Commission held a discussion with perspectives from neighboring communities.

A discussion on Winnetka's controversial affordable housing initiative continued Wednesday night at the village Plan Commission's monthly meeting. About 20 residents on both sides of the issue listened as two representatives of Highland Park's affordable housing program shared experience and information on that city's approach to the issue. Residents listened as Michael Blue, Highland Park's director of community development, and Rob Anthony, executive director of Community Partners for Affordable Housing, sat at the table with commissioners and spoke about inclusionary zoning, and Highland Park's community land trust and housing trust fund. Members of the Winnetka Home Owners Association passed out its newspaper on the topic before the …

• Photos (1)

Residents Weigh In On Winnetka's Affordable Housing Plan

Trustees are moving forward with some of the plan's recommendations, including changes to coach house rules and downtown apartment maintenance.

Winnetka's village council chambers overflowed with people Tuesday night as the village's affordable housing plan came before trustees in a study session. After a presentation by the Plan Commission on its affordable housing report and many comments from the audience, the trustees decided to move forward with a few of the report's recommendations related to coach houses and downtown apartments. Other recommendations such as a community land trust, housing trust fund and zoning changes were tabled for further study . But audience members at the meeting called for other courses of action, including a referendum. "The village should vote on that issue," Bill Pridmore said. A binding referendum on a policy issue is not an option in Illinois, …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (7)

UPDATED: Appellate Court Keeps Spinney on Ballot

Second ruling goes in candidate's favor in challenge over signatures on nominating petitions.

Jennifer Spinney remains on the April 5 ballot as a Winnetka village trustee candidate following an appellate court decision handed down Thursday. The decision affirmed a Cook County Circuit Court ruling that Spinney had exactly 290 valid signatures on her nominating petitions, which is the required number. Spinney filed as an independent candidate after she was not slated by the Winnetka Caucus, and Richard Kates, a caucus-backed candidate, challenged Spinney's candidacy in December. Spinney, who has served as a trustee for the past two years, said she is happy with the decision and is ready to begin her campaign. "If [Kates] were to decide to go on to the [state] Supreme Court, it's highly unlikely he would get anywhere," Spinney said. …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)