Housing options concern Naperville council candidates
Everyone needs housing, but some candidates for Naperville City Council say it's hard to find affordable places in town for young adults and seniors.
Some candidates among 20 seeking eight seats in the April 7 election blame property taxes, others say it's because of flaws in the zoning and development process, and others say the city's senior task force could come up with solutions.
Here are candidates' thoughts on housing issues.
John Krummen said the city should decrease spending to lower the property tax burden for homeowners.
"I think lots of people in Naperville are taxed as much as they can be, and I think we have to change our outlook and look at our spending," Krummen said.
Kevin Coyne said property taxes are beginning to have consequences for the city.
"I think our real estate taxes are already overbearing," Coyne said. "I think they're driving seniors and young people away from our community."
Wayne Floegel said the city can't do much to control housing prices, but "keeping the tax base down" can help those who own homes.
Tom O'Hale said he would call for a property tax freeze if the state doesn't impose one.
"The key to helping people, younger and older, is to keep these expenses low - to freeze the property taxes," O'Hale said.
Becky Anderson said property taxes can be the final straw that prevents a younger or older adult from affording a Naperville home.
"When you're talking about seniors and young people trying to buy homes, sometimes that is the prohibiter," Anderson said.
Patty Gustin, Steve Peterson and Paul Hinterlong, however, said housing problems in Naperville only affect seniors.
"For younger people, there are options available," Gustin said. "For our seniors ... inventory is limited for what they're looking for."
Peterson said the city should provide education on programs for seniors that can freeze property tax assessments, but younger people just need to set realistic housing expectations based on their financial situations.
Hinterlong said seniors who want to move into smaller homes but stay in Naperville might be a victim of the city's successful redevelopment of smaller, older homes.
"That's always been one of my main concerns, especially with seniors, is: Where are they going to go when they want to downsize?" Hinterlong said. "Because all the ranches just turned to 'McMansions,' so that housing stock is gone."
Several candidates say the senior task force, formed last fall, could help brainstorm housing improvements.
"I'm looking forward to what the task force has to say because I know they're really going to address this," Nancy Marinello said.
Robert Hajek said he hopes the group will recommend development of "simple buildings" for seniors, not fancy, expensive ones.
"I really think that task force needs to examine what are some options for rental" for seniors, Hajek said.
Choosing the right location for future senior housing also is important, Rebecca Boyd-Obarski said.
"We don't want to isolate our seniors," Boyd-Obarski said. "We want to engage them in our community."
Aside from the senior task force's review of housing and other issues, David Wentz suggested a "regional needs assessment" be conducted for senior housing to define the areas of need.
Other candidates focus on the city's zoning code and development process as areas where housing problems could be fixed.
Judith Brodhead said the city should allow different floor plans and housing designs to allow for changing family situations.
"I think it's OK to look forward to 'granny flats,' allowing a single-family house to have a little apartment within it that would be suitable for in-laws or a college student or young adult who might want their own unit within a larger house," Brodhead said.
Kevin Gallaher said city zoning codes are too focused on aesthetics, which leads to expensive homes being proposed.
"Providing a number of affordable options is really important," Gallaher said. "What I would propose is that we change the whole development process."
Stephen Purduski said he noticed the same problem as Hinterlong, that tearing down small houses to replace them with giant ones is leading to an abundance of million-dollar homes.
"We need to address this issue through looking at zoning," Purduski said. "We need to come up with a way of encouraging more affordable housing being built and keeping a diversity of residents in Naperville."
Bill Eagan said housing availability should remain market-driven, but zoning decisions about the layout of senior housing developments also affect the affordability of what's built.
Dick Furstenau blamed housing prices partially on the cost of land in Naperville.
"Everyone wants to live in our town, and it drives up pieces of property that are not any longer affordable even though they were affordable two or three years before," Furstenau said.
Joseph McElroy said the best way to improve the housing situation in Naperville - for residents of all ages - is to focus on strengthening neighborhoods.
"The city is moving from its hypergrowth phase to a redevelopment phase and that is a totally different way of looking at the world and governing," McElroy said. "I think that we need to start spending more attention on our neighborhoods."
John Colletti said one small way to help cut household costs would be to reduce fees tacked on to electric and water bills charged by the city utilities. He suggested switching to "totally variable-rate pricing so you get charged based on what you use."
Candidate Jim Bergeron's name will appear on the ballot, but he suspended his campaign because of a regulation that prevents city council members from holding liquor licenses.
Naperville council candidates
Twenty candidates will be on the ballot in the April 7 election, seeking eight available seats on Naperville City Council. Here are the candidates in the order in which they will appear on the ballot.
1. Kevin Coyne, a 39-year-old business attorney and planning and zoning commission member
2. Joe McElroy, a 62-year-old public policy consultant and city council member
3. Dick Furstenau, a 70-year-old retired AT&T executive and former city council member
4. Bill Eagan, a 41-year-old school district chief financial officer and park board member
5. Wayne Floegel, a 43-year-old special education assistant and transportation advisory board member
6. Jim Bergeron, a bar owner who has suspended his campaign
7. Robert Hajek, a 47-year-old salesman
8. John Krummen, a 50-year-old engineering executive and chairman of the public utilities advisory board
9. Paul Hinterlong, a 49-year-old plumber and city council member
10. Nancy Marinello, a 71-year-old retired environmental lawyer
11. David Wentz, a 51-year-old lawyer and city council member
12. Patty Gustin, a 55-year-old real estate broker and planning and zoning commission chairwoman
13. Judith Brodhead, a 63-year-old English professor and city council member
14. Harry Thomas O'Hale, a retired high school principal
15. John Colletti, a 54-year-old adjunct professor of finance, accounting and economics
16. Steve Purduski, a 58-year-old computer engineer
17. Rebecca Boyd-Obarski, a 56-year-old attorney and board of police and fire commissioners chairwoman
18. Steve Peterson, a 42-year-old business executive
19. Becky Anderson, a 56-year-old book shop owner and advisory cultural commission chairwoman
20. Kevin Gallaher, a 51-year-old attorney and former city council member