Are Race And Class Factors In Darien Issue?

DARIEN, IL — The leader of a Darien homeowners association on Tuesday said some of the City Council's comments about the opposition to a proposed apartment complex were unfair.

At a council meeting, Wally Wrighton, president of the Preserves of Waterfall Glen Townhome Association, said the statements were disappointing. He said his group was opposed to the development on Sokol Court because it was too dense and relies too heavily on a young professional demographic that he said would not find the location attractive.

"The objections presented by our community leaders had nothing do with race or class," Wrighton said. "Our position, however, was reflective of the vast majority of our residents. We have a very welcoming and diverse community."

The developer of the Darien Heights project has described the apartments as upscale, but neighbors dispute that.

At the May 3 City Council meeting, Alderman Joe Kenny said the building in question would not be an issue if the developer planned condos instead of apartments.

"You're 100 percent right," a man from the audience yelled back.

Kenny suggested such a position was discrimination between renters and owners.

Later in the meeting, Alderman Lester Vaughan said he was embarrassed and disappointed by the written comments against the project.

"I felt some of the comments in the emails came off as really derogatory. The tone in those statements, they came off to be kind of racist, and it promoted a level of classism that Darien is not proud of," said Vaughan, the council's only African American.

In response, a man stormed out of the room. Others denied race was a factor.

In breaking the tie in favor of the apartment complex, Mayor Joseph Marchese specifically mentioned Vaughan's comments in his reasoning.

Race was explicitly mentioned in one of the dozens of comments that the city posted to its website. It was in an email by neighbor Don Letrich Sr. to Alderwoman Mary Sullivan, who represents the neighborhood in question.

He congratulated Sullivan on her April 6 election victory over John Laratta.

"Now please stand up for us in Darien keeping it safe and a nice place to live!" Letrich wrote in an email. "Your opponent was ANTI POLICE and his poor showing confirms Darien is a law and order community. We don't want criminals here! HUD (Secretary Marcia) Fudge is an anti-white racist HATER to the MAX!"

Fudge is African American. Letrich provided no evidence for his assertion.

In another email, he said race had nothing to do with his position on the apartments, saying any person of any color who buys a home in his subdivision is a "bonus to us all."

But he made no bones about his distaste for HUD-subsidized housing.

"HUD means crime crime crime. To call the project an UPSCALE rental is BS," he said. "Don't vote for carjacking, robbery, even gang murders!"

Anonymous online commenters expressed similar sentiments.

As of the second quarter of 2021, the homeownership rate was 74 percent among whites, according to the U.S. Census. It was 45 percent for African Americans and 48 percent for Hispanics.

In Darien, 83 percent of housing is owner-occupied, compared with the national average of 64 percent, according to the U.S. Census.

The proposed apartment project is set for the southeast corner of South Frontage Road and Sokol Court, east of the Extended Stay America hotel.