June 12, 2026
Date: June 2, 2026
Location of meeting: Via Zoom
Time meeting was called to order: 7:03pm
Attendees: Kristin Berg, Nan Parson, Kathy Rolsing, Jeanne Wells, Melani Kaplan, Lori Snelson
1) Housing Plan
a) Housing Plan Implementation
i. We plan to attend City Council meetings in July when they are to begin discussing the AH Plan. We know that there is support for AH but there is no “Housing Champion” on the council who will push for a strong implementation plan. The same situation exists in the PZC. It was decided to focus on the Mayor to get him to prioritize AH.
ii. Kristin will follow up again with Director Drew Awsumb regarding the city’s vacant property list and prepare to submit a FOIA request if he does not send it.
iii. We discussed what else we can do to promote AH in Park Ridge. One idea was to talk to the owners of troubled/problem properties directly and see if there might be any intertest in AH under the right circumstances. Renaissance Place and a property at 1580 NW Highway, formerly the location of the Center of Concern offices and needing work, were 2 properties mentioned.
b) Monitor City Council/COW agendas for any Housing Plan discussions/actions/proposed multifamily and senior housing development
i. No new discussions Feb, March, April, or May
c) Monitor PZC Agendas for any Housing Plan discussions/actions/ proposed multi-family and senior housing development
i. The next meeting is June 9th. The AH Plan discussion is not on the agenda.
2) Comprehensive Plan
a) Comp Plan dedicated website: https://park-ridge-il-comprehensive-plan-hlplanning.hub.arcgis.com/
i. No updates since March. Kristin will ask Drew Awsumb for an update.
ii. The Community Survey is on the website
iii. Mapping tool on website
3) The Build Illinois housing bills did not pass the legislature this spring. Housing advocates will work on them over the summer and hope to bring them back during the Fall Veto session.
4) Other Updates after the meeting:
a) Lori had a follow-up question for Richard Koenig that Kristin will ask Richard to respond to: What is the most effective thing a municipality can do to encourage the development of AH?
b) HODC is having a ribbon cutting and Grand Opening of Poupard Place in Northbrook on 6/30. Melani is coordinating the event and will ask the Mayor of Northbrook if she will personally invite Mayor Maloney. It is a chance for our mayor to see what an affordable development looks like and learn more about how to make it happen. We know the 2 mayors met at a Center of Concern sponsored event for area mayors last fall. The event is being advertised in the Action Ridge Update and carpooling will be arranged for those that wish to attend. Besides the Mayor of Northbrook, Tom Poupard, former Director of Development in Northbrook (and the person who the project is named after), Toni Preckwinkle, president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and Scott Britton, CC Commissioner, will be attending. If the Mayor cannot attend on the 30th, we will try to arrange a special tour and meeting with Northbrook’s Mayor and Mr. Poupard at al ater date.
c) HB 5198, a bill that strengthens the AHPPA, did not pass but will likely return for passage during the Fall Veto Session.
d) Nan will hold off on trying to coordinate a meeting between Mayor Maloney and the Mayor of Rockford for now. We will concentrate our efforts on trying to get him to attend the Grand Opening of Poupard Place.
e) We discussed the possibility of creating a video that tells the stories of real people in need of AH in Park Ridge.
5) Time meeting adjourned: 8:17pm
6) The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 7/8 at 7:00pm on Zoom:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2644814263?pwd=clJCSWJmRnpnSjlyYmY0clJBRkJGZz09
Meeting ID: 264 481 4263
Passcode: 588190