Palatine officials say they struggled over controversial housing vote
As Palatine councilmen discussed the controversial Catherine Alice Gardens permanent supportive housing proposal for people with disabilities, they emphasized to the divided, standing-room-only crowd just how much they were toiling over their vote.
Scott Lamerand called it a “very emotional” issue. Brad Helms said he was “struggling” with his decision. Greg Solberg unsuccessfully urged his colleagues to approve it, saying the project would be “life-changing” for its residents.
Afterward, Councilman Kollin Kozlowski told me his was an especially “tough” and personal decision given that he has a severely disabled sister-in-law who may have be able to qualify to live in one of the 33 units.
Still, Kozlowski said his vote against preliminary plans for the Catherine Alice Gardens development had everything to do with losing a valuable manufacturing parcel. And he echoed what other officials said about continuing to work with the developer to find a more appropriate location.
“There’s just no area (in Palatine) to expand manufacturing,” he said. “If we were able to tit for tat find someplace else to offset what we losing, I’d be more agreeable to it.”