Dispute May Have Sparked Hinsdale Group Home Rules

HINSDALE, IL — Hinsdale is considering procedures to allow group homes in town, which could be a response to a dispute over a sober living home that ended up involving federal prosecutors.

At this week's Village Board meeting, Trustee Luke Stifflear unveiled a proposal defining the process for those seeking "reasonable accommodations" for group homes under Hinsdale's zoning rules.

Under the rules, group homes would be a permitted use in multi-family zones. But nothing in the proposal would bar the village from allowing such homes in any zone. That includes single-family neighborhoods, which is where Trinity Sober Living set up two years ago.

In the summer of 2019, neighbors complained about Trinity's house at 111 N. Grant St. As a result, the village went to state court to close down the home, but failed to persuade a judge.

In November, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Hinsdale, alleging the village violated Trinity's rights under the Fair Housing Act. The village denies the claim. Trinity closed its Hinsdale operation late last year and opened a home in Bensenville.

The federal lawsuit has been an unspoken subject during the Hinsdale Village Board's open sessions. However, the proposal on group homes seemed to refer to the battle: "The Village of Hinsdale has confronted a situation where a property owner unilaterally began using a property as a group home, without zoning or other applicable approvals, as required by village regulations."

Stifflear said the village code included no procedure for requests for reasonable accommodations under federal law. Rather, he said, the village has treated such matters on a case-by-case basis. He cited an instance three or four years ago when the board permitted a family to build a patio in their front yard to accommodate a family member with a disability.

"I would note that this is a step in the right direction," Stifflear said.

The board plans to vote on the group home proposal later this month.

Reached this week about the proposal, Michael Owens, Trinity's executive director, said he was reviewing it.

According to the federal lawsuit, the village failed to consider a "reasonable accommodation" for Trinity's home for people with addictions. That is required for people with disabilities under the Fair Housing Act, the lawsuit said.

Hinsdale argued Trinity violated the village's rule for single-family zones — no more than three unrelated people in a house. It also contended the group home was a commercial operation that was not permitted in a residential zone. Federal prosecutors said the village abandoned that argument about commercial operations after finding out the government was planning the lawsuit.