Construction is underway at Pedcor’s Garden Place Apartments in Cary, after much conversation, debate, and delay.

Construction is underway at Pedcor’s Garden Place Apartments in Cary, after much conversation, debate, and delay. In May, Pedcor representatives hoped to begin renting apartments by September. Unlike Section 8 Housing, HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) subsidizes the owner to create housing priced not to exceed 10 percent of a tenant’s income.

In rental projects like Garden Place Apartments, 45 of the units must be occupied by people who have incomes at or below 60 percent of medium family income for the area.

The Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act of Illinois requires all local governments to have 10 percent of the housing “affordable.” This requirement became effective in 2003. In 2013, those governments that did not meet the 10 percent requirement had to submit a plan that meets one of the following goals.

• A minimum of 15 percent of all new development or redevelopment within the local government that would be defined as affordable housing in this Act;
• A minimum of a 3 percentage point increase in the overall percentage of affordable housing within its jurisdiction, as defined in Section 20 of this Act;
• A minimum of a total of 10 percent of affordable housing within its jurisdiction.

Cary’s affordable housing in 2014 was at 6.9 percent. To meet the requirements of the Act, Cary needed to add 222 affordable units to their comprehensive plan.

Pedcor is the same developer that constructed and manages Congress Parkway Apartments in Crystal Lake. (Photo by Adela Crandell Durkee/for Chronicle Media

Pedcor is the same developer that constructed and manages Congress Parkway Apartments in Crystal Lake. Although, like the Congress Parkway Apartments, the original plans for Garden Apartments included a Gazebo, a swimming pool and a large clubhouse, a miscalculation of open space prompted Pedcor to ask for a variance, proposing permeable pavement as a viable option for drainage that open space provides.

The Village denied the variance. Therefore, Garden Place Apartments will no longer include a swimming pool or a gazebo. The clubhouse became smaller and the parking lot reconfigured in order to meet the open space requirements. Permeable pavement is also part of the approved plan.

HUD provides affordable housing in McHenry County in two ways: The HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) and Section 8.

HOME provides formula grants to States and localities that communities use — often in partnership with local nonprofit groups — to fund a wide range of activities including building, buying, and/or rehabilitating affordable housing for rent or homeownership or providing direct rental assistance to low-income people. HOME provides subsidies to the owner of the property so that rent can be adjusted according to income. Section 8 provides a voucher to the renter to prove to the landlord that HUD will pay them directly for a portion of the rent.

Yolanda Bey, Assistant Manager at the Villager Apartments in Crystal Lake explained that with HOME “HUD approves the apartments and the landlord approves the renter.” Julie Keferlis, Housing Specialist at McHenry county Housing Authority said “with Section 8, the approved renter can rent anywhere in the U.S., as long as the voucher is accepted.” Either way, HUD pays the landlord directly.

The Village of Cary, Pedcor, and HUD goals are aligned. That is to provide safe, sanitary, and affordable housing to all of its residents. According to Village President, Mark Kownick, the inquiries for occupancy are already coming in. As he sits down with concerned citizens, he sees the fears abate. The village also approved Pedcor affordable housing construction for Senior Citizens complex on Three Oaks Road.