Elliott Hartstein

NATIONAL

Report: Student loan debt prohibiting millennials from buying homes

Student debt is delaying millennials from buying their first home by seven years, according to a study released this month by the National Association of Realtors.

The report focuses on younger millennials (born 1990 to 1998) and older millennials (born 1980 to 1989). Those surveyed – even older millennials earning higher incomes – say that they can’t save for a down payment because they are paying off school loans.

The study found that 20 percent of millennial respondents own a home.

The respondents said they are typically carrying a student debt load ($41,200) that surpasses their annual income ($38,800). Some 79 percent borrowed money to finance their education at a four-year college; 51 percent are repaying a balance of more than $40,000.

About 60 percent say that if they didn’t have a student loan, they would put that money toward buying a home.

The report says there are ways for people with student debt to get mortgages, but many millennials are unaware of them. It calls on the federal government to do a better job of educating would-be homebuyers. It also calls for tax breaks to encourage businesses to pay off student loans as part of their employee compensation packages.

COUNTY

Communication efforts net national awards

Lake County’s efforts to communicate with the public has been recognized with the awarding of three national awards.

The County’s website, lakecountyil.gov, received a first place Savvy Award from the City, County Communications and Marketing Association (known as 3CMA) — the top award for overall website among local governments in the U.S. The “Meet Mitch and Hitch” video, youtu.be/fyMiVh97vxY, also took home the first-place Savvy award for promotional video. This video features the State’s Attorney’s Office’s two facility dogs and showcases the work they do. Finally, for the “Most Creative Activity with Least Dollars Spent” category, the “Vote Like a Couch Potato” marketing campaign won a first place Savvy.

3CMA received nearly 700 entries in various categories, and 3CMA volunteer judges from across the country selected winners.

BUFFALO GROVE

Former village president will vie for statehouse seat

A former village official wants to re-enter public life as a state official.

Elliott Hartstein, who served as Buffalo Grove village president from 1999 to 2011, is circulating nomination petitions for a run for the Illinois House of Representatives following news that current state Rep. Carol Sente (D-Vernon Hills) is not running for re-election.

He is focusing on the Illinois House District 59 seat that primarily covers Buffalo Grove, Mundelein, Wheeling, and Vernon Hills, as well as portions of Lincolnshire, Long Grove and other surrounding communities.

Hartstein, 69, who is chairman of the Buffalo Grove Arts Commission, also served on the Skokie/Morton Grove School District 69 board for two years in the 1970s before he moved to Buffalo Grove.

WAUCONDA

Student aid seminar to be held at library

Current and future college students who need help navigating the road to financial aid are invited to a seminar to be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 12, at the Wauconda Area Library, 801 N. Main St., Wauconda.

The Lake County FASFA Campaign is hosting the event. The FAFSA campaign is a countywide effort, begun in 2008, to provide practical help in applying for financial aid. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission will attend to assist students and families. Events like this one are

designed to help families complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the first step in applying for financial aid.

VERNON HILLS

Century Park seeks arboretum status

Vernon Hills’ largest park, Century Park, may become an accredited arboretum, a first for a park district in Illinois.

As envisioned by Rick Krocza, Vernon Hills Park District foreman/horticulturist, the arboretum at Century Park would highlight a tree population that includes more than 100 species. The arboretum would introduce new and exotic species and serve as a regional testing ground to determine what will work in this climate.

To become a recognized arboretum, the park district is applying to ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program, established in 2011 by the renowned Morton Arboretum. It is the only global program to officially recognize arboretums based on a set of standards.

ArbNet lists 14 accredited arboretums in Illinois, including the villages of Riverside and Oak Park, Elmhurst College, Roosevelt University’s Schaumburg campus, Graceland Cemetery in Chicago, Brookfield Zoo and the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe.

There are four levels of accreditation. Morton Arboretum, for example, which does research and has scientists on staff, is a Level IV. Vernon Hills is seeking Level II.

–Lake County News Brief–