La Grange Rejects Type Of Affordable Housing

LA GRANGE, IL – La Grange officials agreed on Monday that the community does not need a type of housing that is considered more affordable.

The homes in question are officially known as "accessory dwelling units," or ADUs. They are more commonly referred to as granny flats or coach houses.

Accessory dwelling units come with a full kitchen and bathroom. They can be attached to a house or detached.

"I'm not sure we need that in town just yet, and I've heard from a lot of residents who are concerned with that, with neighbors putting a rental unit in their yard, let alone above their garage," Trustee Beth Augustine said at a Village Board meeting.

Other officials agreed.

"I don't think they fit in the character of La Grange," Village President Mark Kuchler said. "It's not an aspiration of mine at all. I just don't see the majority of people in La Grange pushing for that."

La Grange has long strived to protect its neighborhoods of single-family houses.

Last year, the village prohibited bathrooms in residential garages from including showers or bathtubs. This was a way to prevent residents from setting up rental units in their homes.

In Monday's discussion, Augustine said she was fine with making exceptions, for instance, for having full bathrooms in garages when a mother-in-law moves in or a son or daughter returns after college.

"The code currently doesn't allow it, so that's something I'm OK with," she said.

Augustine recommended the village form a task force to deal with affordable housing.

"We don't have the amount we need," she said.

Trustee Glenn Thompson said La Grange needs to emphasize to developers that the village wants more such housing.

"They look for towns that have wording in their comprehensive plans and their village code that says we welcome affordable housing," he said.

Trustees agreed to include in the village's proposed long-term plan the goals of forming an affordable housing task force and drafting a housing needs assessment.

Last year, La Grange had 754 affordable housing units out of a total of 5,332 units, according to an Illinois Housing Development Authority report.

That works out to 13.2 percent, up from 9.4 percent in 2013. Last year's rate compares to 2.1 percent in Western Springs, 3.7 percent in Hinsdale and 4.5 percent in Burr Ridge.

The state's goal is to have at least 10 percent affordable housing in every town.