Property bought for group home in Geneva

A long-held dream to provide developmentally disabled adults a place to live independently in a group home is close to being fulfilled in Geneva.

Alderman William Barclay, chairman of the Geneva 708 Mental Health Board, announced the board had found a willing seller, at 1980 South St.

The five-bedroom home will cost $399,900. The mental health board has over $380,000 set aside, and will ask the Geneva City Council to loan the remaining money, to be repaid next fiscal year.

The mental health board began putting money aside in 1989 --usually 10 percent of its annual receipts.

The purchase was announced during a portion of Monday night's city council meeting where grants to local nonprofit agencies for mental health services were given.

A 708 board is a seven-member panel that administers the Community Mental Health Act. It levies a tax separate from the city's property tax. The legislative bill establishing it was number 708.

The mental health board is looking for an agency to run the group home. It has been talking to the Association for Individual Development, which runs other group homes in Kane County.