The village trustees are considering a proposal to change Oak Park’s zoning code, allowing single-family lots to be converted into multi-family lots. The main reasons are to reverse a 1921 policy that promoted racial segregation and to increase affordable housing options and density and diversity, aligning with the village’s values.
While we acknowledge the need for both objectives, eliminating SFH zoning for much of Oak Park needs careful consideration. The board owes homeowners a thorough plan, not a vague “we know what to do” and “we need to change this.” This policy proposal would impact every current and future homeowner.
Some trustees have used numbers to make the argument sound “data-driven” and “scientific.” They cite economic studies and data from other cities and villages, but often extrapolate these without qualification, evaluation, or consideration of assumptions.
The following are not reasonable defenses of the proposal:
“I’ve researched this a lot, so I know more than everyone else.”
“I know the problem and how to fix it.”
“I’m a trustee, so I get to decide what’s best for the village.”
“I will not vote based on public opinion.”
“Any level of supply helps, and more supply is better. The market determines the exact number of units.”
“Five homes for sale and 20 buyers mean everyone sells over ask. We can’t remove buyers, but we can allow more homes. Fifteen homes and 20 buyers is a different market.”
The proposal is controversial and could change the village’s character without benefitting its stated goals. More development doesn’t automatically mean more affordable housing, especially if developers replace existing SFHs with luxury offerings that cost more. It also doesn’t automatically mean lower taxes, better schools, or more facilities.
I request answers to the following questions, along with a credible defense of the assumptions:
1. What is the expected additional supply in a time frame?
2. What is the expected demand during this time frame?
3. What is the expected decrease in home prices?
4. How much do external macro-economic factors affect the pricing equation? What are the variables?
5. How will affordability be measured over time? Which metrics will be tracked?
6. What safeguards will ensure affordable housing? How will this be monitored and enforced?
7. What’s the tax benefit of spreading the levy across more residents vs. the higher levy needed to serve them?
Many residents have raised these questions, yet haven’t been answered or quantified. The elected Board of Trustees should provide a transparent, quantifiable, well-considered plan with relevant data and defensible assumptions. This is a crucial proposal, so it deserves a credible, transparent, and quantifiable debate.
Rohan Fernandes
Oak Park