Affordable Housing Units Proposed In Deerbrook Development Plan

DEERFIELD, IL — The developers hoping to build 246 residential units behind the Deerbrook Shopping Center offered to include 18 affordable apartments for at least 25 years. REVA Development Partners included the offer in updates to its plans for an apartment building and townhouse development presented to the Deerfield Village Board for approval Monday.

In a letter to Village Manager Kent Street last month, the development company for the Residences of Deerbrook project said it had studied the issue extensively with input from village staff to come up with a proposal to include an affordable housing component to a final development agreement with the village.

"While it is recognized that Deerfield does not have an ordinance requiring any affordable or workforce housing units," the developers said they would voluntarily agree to be legally bound by the proposed terms. "We are seeking to formalize the preliminary approval and Set Aside terms by year end," they wrote.

The proposal include 12 one-bedroom units of about 710 square feet and six two-bedroom units of about 1,000 square feet. The larger units would rent for no more than $2,000 and the smaller apartments would go for $1,500 a month or below. (The developers have said they planned to offer rents ranging between $1,450 and $3,400.)

The rentals would be first available to residents earning below 120 percent of the area median income. Income of residents must be certified initially and every third year. Rents may be raised every year by up to the rate of inflation. If one of the affordable units remains vacant for two months, it can be rented at full market rate as long as the owner makes aside another affordable unit within 30 days of a request, according to the terms presented to the village.

Deerfield trustees earlier this year accepted a recommendation for the approval of the preliminary planned development from the plan and appearance review commissions.

At the Sept. 4 village board meeting, Trustee Barbara Struthers said the units should be affordable for people who work at the neighboring shopping center.

Trustee Bob Benton suggested 15 percent of the units – 28 apartments – should be set aside for affordable housing.

Mayor Harriet Rosenthal asked the developer to return with more details about a plan for affordable housing, as well as more information about pedestrian access to the site.

As proposed, the developers would set aside 10 percent of the 186 units in the planned five-story apartment building. The project also includes 60 townhouses with two and three bedrooms.

In a memo to the board ahead of the board's Dec. 17 meeting, Assistant Village Manager Andrew Lichterman said Rosenthal and staff believe the affordable housing plan, as well as the new street name and pedestrian enhancements, is consistent with the previous direction of the board.

The street previously known as "Chestnut Court" would be named "Deerbrook Court" under the new plan. The pedestrian improvements include decorative paving, wider sidewalks, more crosswalks and directional signs to the Sachs Recreation Center and the Deerfield Park Plaza.

Lichterman recommended the village look into hiring a consultant to handle the oversight of the affordable housing elements of the development if the revised plan is approved by the board.