Here’s recap of our live coverage of this evening’s Evanston City Council meeting which dealt with several affordable housing issues as well as parking questions and city council goals.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. A packet with information on tonight’s agenda items is available online.
Meeting called to order at 6:04 p.m. Six aldermen are present at roll call. Fleming arrives a moment later. Suffredin is at another meeting and is expected later. Rainey is absent tonight.
Public comment
Amalie Malos, 9th Ward resident and Main Street business owner, says offers three hour long classes, says new parking regs create big problems for her customers.
Julie Mathai, Hewn Bakery co-owner, says parking ordinance up for discussion tonight addresses some of the issues raised at last week’s Transportation and Parking Committee meeting … but she’s still concerned about aggressive parking enforcement. Not seeing solution for employees to park near businesses or other issues.
Jane Wickencamp urges more affordable housing for seniors.
Sue Loellbach urges more affordable housing. Says traditional zoning has created discriminatory disparities in housing opportunities.
Laurie Keenan says has seen a lot of bogus parking tickets issued to her, family and friends.
Carlis Sutton objects to plans for affordable housing on property at 1805 Church St.
Tina Paden wants assistance for landlords who provide affordable housing.
Public comment ends at 6:38 p.m.
SP1 – Housing Authority of Cook County presentation
Housing Authority of Cook County Executive Director Richard Monocchio to make presentation (once the technology issues get worked out).
SP3 – Tenant relocation assistance policy for displaced tenants.
Alderman Cicely Fleming, 9th Ward, says city doesn’t have anything in place to help people being moved through no fault of their own.
Says appreciates that Evanston may not be able to do as much as Long Beach has.
Says doesn’t want to make it a burden for the city’s smaller landlords, but wants tenants to be able to remain in the town.
Mayor notes that Long Beach hasn’t actually implemented the proposal yet.
Alderman Don Wilson, 4th Ward, says this puts too much burden on current rental property owners. Says we’re are likely to see big increases in real estate taxes for rental apartment buildings because of latest reassessment.
Says people who will bear the impact of this new program would be the other residents of the building.
Says could be appropriate to provide aid when people are forced to move out because of property standards issues.
Says if somebody’s rent goes up 10% and they therefore qualify for two months free rent — a lot of people will jump at it.
Says program is likely to cost tenants a lot more.
Alderman Robin Rue Simmons, 5th Ward, says when she saw what was happening on Emerson and Jackson — where tenants were moved out — would like to see aid provided to them.
Alderman Judy Fiske, 1st Ward, says would like to know more about how Long Beach compares to Evanston.
But says wants to have further discussion on the issue.
Alderman Eleanor Revelle, 7th Ward, says she looked at a Boston model that has been in place for about a year. Says it puts most of the burden of helping the displaced tenant on the developer who’s building a new structure on the property. Says that model might be useful here.
Fleming says the solution would put a burden on other tenants, but says some landlords will price gouge. Says Evanston could be a pioneer and come up with its own solution.
Mayor Steve Hagerty says it sounds like aldermen would like to get some further information on proposals in other cities and have staff come up with an update at a future meeting.
Back to SP1
Monocchio says the building will have very little subsidy. Will have a mix of market rate and subsidized, afforable units.
Will ask city permission for more height to make the project financially feasible.
Architect says now looking at a 15-story building with 120 apartment units, underground parking and amenties on the ground level and roof level.
Current Perlman building is 11 stories.
Here’s an earlier version of a proposal from HACC for the site at 1900 Sherman Ave., adjacent to the authoritiy’s Perlman building..
Proposed rents:
- Full market rate unit, $2K/month (For people with income greater than 120% of AMI)
- Missing middle $1,666. (For people from 80% to 120% of AMI.)
- Low-mod units $1,450 (but with housing vouchers tenants will only pay about $500/month). (These for people at 80% or less of AMI.)
Typical unit size be about 700 SF. Most units one bedrooms, but some two-bedroom units would be included in the development.
Says its very difficult to get a true mixed income building — this plan would achieve that.
Wants to have 1st class very attractive building.
Says there are some risks that may not be able to find market-rate tenants for a mixed income building.
But believes the project can be financially feasible and can be a striking example of new development in Evanston that will be affordable.
Mayor asks whether have done something similar elsewhere.
Monocchio says this would be the first one. Says have completed $200M of construction work — so do now how to build this stuff.
Says this site is the most attractive that the Housing Authority owns in the county.
Sarah Flax of the city staff says what’s innovative about this is the “missing middle” compenent.
Says the property would be fore age 55-plus residents and would provide independent living units. Says thinks this will work for middle income folk who are struggling to find housing now.
And people moving into these units will open up single family housing for new families.
Monocchio says Sherman Gardens residents have been very positive as have other neighbors they’ve met with. (But the authority was talking about 11 story building at that point. Says have determined that the finances for the building won’t work at that size.)
Fiske says the financial feasibility data is very helpful to explain why the building needs to be the size proposed.
Alderman Peter Braithwaite, 2nd Ward, says he’s excited about the proposal — says it looks like a good model.
Asks about amenities?
Monocchio says working on that now. Says lot of the units will have a lake view. The health and wellness part of what happens in this building will be critical.
Mayor says feels honored that HACC is looking to invest in Evanston to help with affordability here.
No action tonight … HACC to continue to work on developing plans for the building.
SP2 – Affordable housing work plan update
Related stories …
City to consider more ‘granny flat’ options
City to acquire potential affordable housing site
Also looking at text amendments to apply Inclusionary Housing Ordinance bonuses to affordable attached ADUs … small houses on a city-owned lot at 2122 Darrow Ave. … and more.
City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz says landlord rehab assistance program could be done as a grant — but concerned about how much impact it will have — if changed from the current design of a 50/50 split payment with a forgivable loan from the city.
Rue Simmons suggests making it a grant. Says landlords are telling her they don’t have the match to cover the program cost.
Mayor says there’s always value in having someone have “skin in the game” … though doesn’t have to be 50-50.
Fleming says if make unit affordable for 25 years, that could be “skin in the game.”
Flax says income level of tenant set at 60 percent of AMI and affordability period varied depending on size of the loan/grant.
She says having too low an income restriction can make it impossible to gain financing for a property.
Rue Simmons says wants to limit the program to landlords who are themselves moderate income — doesn’t want it to fall “into the wrong hands.”
City manager says will come back to Planning and Development Committee with a revised plan within a month.
Inclusionary housing ordinance bonuses for affordable attached ADUs … gets general support
Small lot housing concept …
Fleming says should test this out in different parts of town
Flax says there’s a lot of oversight in the unique use process being proposed.
Braithwaite says there’s a lot of interest in his ward — especially on Florence from Dempster south to Crain.
Flax believes ownership houses on small lots is the best option for this concept.
Fiske says she’s concerned about what lot size would be considered.
Johanna Leonard, community development directors, says wants to offer some flexibility, but needs to come up with definitions.
Fiske makes reference to Plan Commission to look at “art space” as a way to create some affordable uses in buildings that might need some help — and creating live-work spaces. Refers to an organization called Art Space, based out of Minneapolis. Leonard says there are some examples of this in Chicago and Elgin.
Motion to accept afordable housing work plan update and place on file is approved 7-0.
SP 4 – Increase demolition tax
From $10K to $15K for single family residence and to $15K for multi-family structures, except $5K per unit for two flats. (That’s currently $3K per unit for multies and $10K for two flats.)
Money goes into the affordable housing fund.
Wynne suggests indexing the fee.
City manager says will come back with a proposal for that at 2nd reading.
Approved for introduction 6-0. (Fleming out of the room)
SP 5 – 1805 Church St. … deed in lieu of foreclosure
Flax says have “no further remediation” letter from IEPA, for the property, which was once used as a gas station and at one point had leaking underground storage tanks..
Rue Simmons says she’s excited about future development on this long-time vacant lot
Approved 7-0.
SP 6 – 1824 Emerson .. .sale to ETHS for a “Geometry in Construction” house
Approved 7-0.
City manager says there’s another 5th Monday in July. Could do next affordable housing discussion then. Braithwaite suggests moving it to late August. Manager will look for good dates.
SP 7 – Parking updates
From Assistant City Manager Erika Storlie who does a presentation (and another one)
Fleming says not sure how people will understand how long can park where. Even with maps it’s not very clear, she says.
Says need to be very clear on signage. Maybe give warning tickets.
Storlie says signage will be key once the new rules are in effect.
Mayor asks about warnings
Storlie says in March did 3,400 street cleaning warning tickets.
City manager says sent every business and resident in Evanston on March 1 a document that detailed the changes.
Wynne says the zones that were on the city books but until now haven’t had the technology to enforce them. Says merchants and customers find the zones very confusing — need to get rid of them, she says.
Says on Main Street might go to Lucky Platter for breakfast and come back for dinner and can’t park there a second time in the day.
Says that’s way too much for the average parker to absorb.
Fiske asks about building new parking garage. Storlie says currently looking at some locations on Central Street.
Fiske says people are tearing their hair out about the parking changes. Says need to make it simpler. Says she’s ready to tear the whole thing up and start over again.
City manager says not every parker is as altruistic as we’d like them to be. Says some employees of businesses would park all day in what’s intended to be a shopper’s space. Same problem with commuters.
If would like to say four hour parking everywhere — could do that. But concerned about longer-term parkers.
Fiske says need to clear the decks — we’re only hurting ourselves, our business owners, and the people who want to shop and dine here.
Wynne says she’s wary about totally eliminating the two hour limits. Says the average parking time downtown was under two hours, though in many cases people wanted to park longer.
Wynne says the pay boxes are stunningly user unfriendly. Doesn’t think the direction are very clear at all.
Says she’s been beseiged with complaints.
Mayor says he travels a lot around the country and doesn’t think any of the pay boxes anywhere are easy to use.
Revelle says need to make a bunch of additional changes.
Alderman Tom Suffredin, 6th Ward, just arrived from a meeting with Boy Scouts.
Says needs a city-wide parking study. Says not sure what the correct solution is, but need something well thought-out and based on the best information possible.
Mayor asks what the cost of such a study would be.
Storlie says likely $75K to $100K.
Wilson says likes idea of businesses being able to get employee parking (in nearby residential districts).
Says don’t want to make the problem worse. Just managing it on an interim basis for now.
Rue Simmons says in 5th Ward have very disconnected business districts intermixed with residential. Asks if there’s a standard for that. Says she supports doing a parking study.
Storlie says better signage for downtown garages is coming later this year — would provide counts of number of open spaces in the garages to encourage greater use.
Storlie says are working with the vendor to come up with a solution for eliminating the convenience fee on the parking app — if you pre-load the wallet.
Mayor asks how much money the vendor is receiving from the app?
Storlie says usage has greatly increased. Vendor used to get $4 to $5K, now got $35K in a recent month.
Says if city covered all the fees it would cost $250K a year to provide the app.
Says there are many other competitors now that offer similar app products — could switch to another vendor — but that does involve some aggravation of switching over.
Mayor says the app is an amazing convenience.
Storlie says city code has for decades said could only park two hours on the same day on the same block.
Says are working with the vendors to make it easier to return to a spot same day. Lockout period had been set at 5 hours … now has been reduced to 30 minutes.
In Chicago signs say can only park two hours — but the app there doesn’t implement a lockout period (although the pay boxes in Chicago do).
Wynne says that’s not a good idea — to let people park all day.
Storlie says, in response to a question from the mayor, that there was an issue with the parking enforcement devices that the PEOs weren’t getting information updates about who’d just paid for parking. (Issue involved the app continuously searching for a wi-fi connection but not finding one.) She says system has now been switched to rely only on cellular connections and that seems to have resolved the problem.
Wynne asks for more data on how many tickets are being issued.
Feb … 7300 in 2018, 7500 in 2019, Storlie says
… (I didn’t catch her March and April numbers).
Wynne …wants to encourage compliance but not have people feel that if they make one mistake “boom” they’ll get a ticket. Have to decide if we’re writing too many parking tickets.
City manager says will come back in 60 days with more detailed proposals on parking and detail on a possible citywide parking study.
Katherine Gotsick, executive director of Main Dempster Mile says there’s a sense of urgency among the merchants to make changes. Says the Dempster Chicago area needs longer than a two-hour limit.
Annie Coakley, director Downtown Evanston, says it’s a different bag downtown — has lot more parking options — with garages. Merchants have different needs. Says getting available space count on signs for garages would be a big help.
Says would like to get more affordable ride sharing for dining. Have tried piloting that with Lyft.
City manager mentions that Via is offering a multiple-passenger ride share option. (Related story.) Says have met today with Lyft, which now owns Divvy, to come up with some enhanced ride share solutions.
SP 8 – Amendments to parking meter zones
Approved 8-0.
SP 9- 2019-2020 City Council Goals
Fleming … would like to look at Sunday transportation options, now very limited generally and nonexistent if need paratransit.
Says needs to look at zoning changes to achieve some of the affordable housing goals.
And on infractructure … need MOUs (memorandums of understanding) to provide clarity for what the private fundraising groups would be doing.
Amendment approved.
Goals approved on 8-0 vote
Call of the wards
Braithwaite … waste transfer station neighborhood meeting Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Gibbs-Morrison.
Wilson … proposed development for 601 Davis .. neighborhood meeting on that TBD.
Council votes to go into executive session to discuss litigation and minutes at 9:34 p.m.