The Highland Park Housing Commission was created in 1973 to encourage and engage in the development of low-and-moderate income housing. Currently, the Commission operates rental housing in four affordable developments, maintains a waiting list for condominium units in an affordable senior development, and works closely with the Highland Park Illinois Community Land Trust, which offers affordable home ownership opportunities.

The Commission works to assemble land and generate revenue in order to develop affordable senior and family housing, administers the City’s Housing Trust Fund to provide financial resources for affordable housing activities, oversees the City’s Inclusionary Housing Program and other housing initiatives, and makes recommendations to the City Council on policy matters and programs related to affordable housing.

The Commission, through three separate not-for-profit corporations known as Peers Housing Association, Walnut Housing Association, and Ravinia Housing Association, operates three Section 8 affordable housing rental developments utilizing federal funds. On behalf of the Commission, a private management firm, Evergreen Real Estate Services, LLC, manages units in the following residences:

Frank B. Peers Building
Initiated in 1978, the Peers building was the first low-and-moderate income senior housing developed by the Housing Commission. This rental development, located at 400 Central Avenue, contains sixty-eight (68) units.

Walnut Place
Located at 654 Walnut Street, this fifty-six (56) unit affordable apartment building for the elderly and twelve (12) townhouses for low-and-moderate income families opened in 1981.

Ravinia Housing
In cooperation with the Lake County Housing Authority (LCHA) and the Park District of Highland Park, a third housing development was opened in 1983. Ten three-bedroom attached townhouses for low-and-moderate income families are located at 735-763 Pleasant Avenue in the Ravinia area. As part of the same financing through LCHA, two single-family homes were rehabilitated and five attached townhouses were constructed at the rear of the property located at 2743 to 2755 St. Johns Avenue.

In addition, the Commission, through a separate not-for-profit corporation known as Sunset Woods Association, initiated a public-private partnership to develop an affordable condominium development for seniors.

Sunset Woods Condominiums
Sunset Woods Condominiums opened in 2002. Located at 891 Central Avenue and financed with a combination of pubic and private funding, Sunset Woods sixty (60) condominiums for seniors. Forty-eight (48) condominiums are owned by private households. A deed restriction, which runs with the condominium units, assures that the units will remain affordable for succeeding buyers. Twelve of the units are owned by the Housing Commission, through the Sunset Woods Association, and maintained as rental units for seniors. The rental units are managed by the Housing Opportunity Development Corporation, a private, not-for-profit housing organization.

Rules of Procedure
The Open Meeting Act requires the members of the Housing Commission to discuss public business in an open, public forum. This law requires that, whenever a gathering of three or more Commissioners occurs during which public business is discussed, such meetings be advertised (through a posted agenda) and be open to the public.

Membership
The Housing Commission consists of ten (10) members, all of whom are appointed by the Mayor with the consent of the City Council. One of the 10 members is a non-voting ex-officio representative of the City Council. The nine other members are Highland Park residents and are appointed for terms of three years and may be reappointed to a second consecutive three year term. No Commission member may serve for more than two full consecutive terms. Each Commission member also serves on the Board of Directors of each of the four corporations.

Current Membership List
Tony Licata, Chair	Term expires 2008
Roberta Brown, Secretary	Term expires 2008
Stephen D. Kant	Term expires 2009
Marissa Kaij Hopkins	Term expires 2009
Shana Magidovitch	Term expires 2009
David Glasner, Treasurer	Term expires 2008
Janet Swartz, Vice-Chair	Term expires 2008
David F. Wigodner	Term expires 2009
Jami Sharfman	Term expires 2009
Mike Brenner	City Council Liaison
Mary Smith	Staff Liaison, Housing Planner