Good Neighbors Campaign Responds to Judge Shadur’s Ruling

The Good Neighbors Campaign is disappointed that Judge Milton Schadur today [June 20] granted the Village of Arlington Height's motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed against it in November 2010 as a result of its refusal to grant the zoning variances needed to allow the construction of Boeger Place supportive housing apartments for people recovering from mental illness. 

Nonetheless, the Judge's ruling does not eliminate the need for permanent supportive housing for people recovering from mental illness in Arlington Heights.  If anything, this need is greater than it was in 2009 when Boeger Place was first proposed.

In response to the Judge’s ruling, Campaign spokesperson Judith Royal of Arlington Heights stated, “Judge Shadur has said that he will not require the Village to do the right thing, but the Village Trustees can certainly choose to do the right thing, and we call upon them to do so.     

“Now that there is no pending litigation,” Royal added, “the Good Neighbors Campaign calls on each Village Trustee to meet with us and explain their plans to meet the great need for supportive housing for individuals with mental illness.”    

The Village's own Consolidated Housing Plan, filed every five years as a condition of receiving Community Development Grant funds, calls for the creation of 180 additional units of supportive housing for people with mental illness.    

Such housing is vital to the sustained recovery of people with mental illness and to their ability to stay in this community, where they have grown up and lived.  It is vital to their ability to contribute to society as independent citizens.  

Last month the Campaign filed 2,000 petition signatures, more than 75% of them from Arlington Heights residents, urging the Trustees to do both of these things, to meet with us and to let Boeger Place be built. We still call on them to do so. 

The Arlington Heights based Good Neighbors Campaign is made up of more than 200 interested area residents and representatives from 10 Arlington Heights churches and civic groups. 

Information provided by Good Neighbors Campaign