Former Wheeling mayor favors Boeger Place proposal

As a member of the Advisory Board of the North/Northwest Suburban Task Force on Supportive Housing for Individuals with Mental Illness, I have attended numerous public meetings regarding the proposed development of the Boeger Place Apartments in Arlington Heights, those held by the village and in the community.

With each meeting, I become more convinced that the project put forth by the Housing Task Force and its partners, Thresholds and the Daveri Development Group, would be a valuable step forward in addressing the severe shortage of supportive housing for individuals with mental illness in our communities.

The need to provide affordable housing with supportive professional services is clear. It will alleviate many of the problems facing our families, friends and neighbors, including untreated mental illness, homelessness, and the inappropriate and expensive placement of many people with mental illness in hospitals, nursing homes, and even jails or prisons. We know that with good psychiatric services and housing, recovery is a real possibility and that with this support the vast majority of people with mental illness can return to a normal life in the community.

In recognition of the concerns expressed by the Village Board and residents, the Housing Task Force and its partners, Thresholds and the Daveri Development Group are revising their project to build a 30-unit permanent supportive housing apartment for individuals or small families with mental illness at 120 Boeger Drive in Arlington Heights.

I am confident that the approval of this revised plan will result in a in a model project serving the needs of the community, and in which the Village of Arlington Heights and its residents can take great pride.

Sheila H. Schultz

Wheeling