Oak Brook sued for discrimination

The trial of a lawsuit that accuses the Chicago suburb of Oak Brook of discriminating against the elderly and handicapped has gotten under way in federal court.

The lawsuit was filed in 2002 by the DuPage County Forest Preserve District, owners of a former Franciscan friary, and the DuPage Housing Authority. The housing authority wanted to buy the property and convert the 110,000-square-foot former friars' residence into a 93-unit assisted-living facility.

The facility would have served elderly or handicapped people who didn't need the full-time care of a nursing home.

Attorney Robert Gauss, representing the housing authority, said the Village Board approved condominium and townhouse developments elsewhere in the village, but voted against the assisted-living project.

Attorney James DeAno countered the forest preserve district bought the property with the proceeds of a $17.5 million bond issue for open-space purchases.

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