AURORA — The city is moving forward with plans to conduct its own study on affordable housing in Aurora.
Last week, the City Council Finance Committee approved a proposed contract to conduct the study, and the Committee of the Whole will discuss the issue Tuesday night.
The push for the study came in August, when Mayor Tom Weisner said the city would move forward with a process to examine affordable housing.
The city intends to contract with Community Planning and Development Advisors LLC for up to $42,318 to complete the project. City Chief of Staff Carie Anne Ergo said the firm also developed the city’s consolidated plan. She said the firm has expertise in affordable housing.
“The bottom line is the mayor has encouraged the (Aurora Housing Authority) from the beginning to look at a more comprehensive view of affordable housing options in Aurora — options beyond just rebuilding at Jericho Circle,” Ergo said. “Unfortunately, the AHA hasn’t brought any other options to the table.”
Earlier this month, the Housing Authority Board voted to move forward with a plan to apply for tax credits to rebuild at Jericho Circle, a public housing complex on the city’s southwest side which is slated for demolition because of its poor condition. AHA Board Chairman Al Schuler said the AHA intends to rebuild at the site unless a viable option is presented.
Ergo said that while city officials are not housing experts, they do know other communities are meeting their affordable housing needs without rebuilding housing. She said some cities are re-purposing foreclosed homes or have utilized project-based rental assistance.
AHA Executive Director Jean Federman has said previously that these options aren’t economically viable for the Housing Authority.
Ergo said the city’s obligations need to be clarified.
“The goal here is to look at the best practices in other cities and implement a plan here in Aurora,” Ergo said.
Ergo said the AHA hasn’t responded to the mayor’s invitation to be involved in the city’s process.
“We reached out to them, we’d like them to participate, but we haven’t heard back one way or another,” Ergo said.
Federman said Housing Authority staff hasn’t been asked to be involved in the study.
In August, a firm contracted by the Housing Authority completed an affordable housing impediments report. Schuler said that study cost about $15,000.
The study states that the communications and actions of the city in regard to redevelopment plans for the Jericho Circle site “represent impediments to the advancement of fair housing choice for Aurora’s protected classes.”
Ergo said the city, in conjunction with the city of Elgin and Kane County, is conducting an analysis of fair housing impediments.
“It is quite an extensive process,” Ergo said, which includes stakeholder meetings and surveys.
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