Deerfield Affordable Housing Development Draft Plans Approved

DEERFIELD, IL — Village trustees gave preliminary approval to the Zion Woods affordable housing development Monday. The Deerfield Village Board voted 4-2 in favor of moving forward with the project despite opposition from nearby residents.

The 25 units proposed for the 8 acres of lane behind the Zion Lutheran Evangelical Church at 10 Deerfield Road would be rented to a mix of people working in Deerfield and those with disabilities, its backers told trustees.

Partnering with the church are Northbrook-based developers Brinshore Development and Housing Opportunity Development Corporation. They told plan commissioners development will offer rents from $760 to $1,050 a month and aims to offer members of the community a chance to remain in Deerfield despite changes to their financial situation, like divorce or the loss of a job.

Trustees were told the east Deerfield property, located along the border with Highland Park, would be required to remain as affordable housing under a restrictive covenant in order to keep its zoning.

The latest version of the an affordable housing project for the village has a reduced density and a lower height than previous proposals, and the Plan Commission voted 4-1 to recommend its approval by the village board in June. The full board gave the green light Aug. 20 to move forward with a final draft of the plans.

Giving preliminary approval to the plan were trustees Robert Benton, Thomas Jester, Mary Oppenheim and Dan Shapiro. Trustees William Seiden and Barbara Struthers voted against the plan.

The final development plans will head back to the plan commission, and village trustees will have another vote on the matter.

More than 150 people attended the meeting, according to the Deerfield Review. Members of the public who spoke during the meeting were split about 60-40 against approval of the development. The final draft of the project plans are expected to be considered by plan commissioners in October.

Read more from the Deerfield Review »

Watch the Aug. 20 discussion of a the plan commission recommendation of a request for rezoning and an amendment to the comprehensive plan to allow a workforce housing development at 10 Deerfield Road at Zion Lutheran Evangelical Church: