(Cook County) – The Housing Authority of Cook County was joined today by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Commissioner Deborah Sims, Village of Robbins Mayor Tyrone Ward and Audra Hamernik, Executive Director of the Illinois Housing Development Authority to announce the completion of the largest affordable housing rehabilitation effort the suburbs of Cook County have seen in decades.
Construction is wrapping up on exterior and interior infrastructure improvements at 11 low-income housing properties that include 1225 units of affordable housing located in Evanston, Skokie, Niles, Wheeling, Arlington Heights, Harvey, Robbins, Chicago Heights and Park Forest. The $200 million investment will consist of units set aside for seniors and individuals living with disabilities, as well as family-based units. The project included providing workforce development training, education and job opportunities to low-income residents throughout suburban Cook County.
HACC’s use of the the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program was a critical component of the project. RAD, a federal program administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, provides financial avenues to public housing authorities so that they may address needed capital improvements of affordable, federally-assisted rental housing properties. RAD offered an opportunity to use public and private debt and equity in order to reinvest in HACC’s public housing stock in order to maintain both the viability of the properties and their long-term affordability.
“The Housing Authority of Cook County’s $200 million investment throughout suburban Cook County has been underway for almost four years now and is the largest preservation effort the suburbs have seen in decades,” President Preckwinkle said. “Projects associated with this investment will have meaningful and significant
impacts on suburban communities by providing low-income families with affordable housing for decades to come.”
Additional support from the Illinois Housing Development Authority, and private partners such as Bank of America, US Bank, Citibank, BMO Harris Bank, Enterprise Community Partners and the National Equity Fund proved critical in using public and private debt and equity in order to reinvest in HACC’s communities. By combining public and private funding afforded by RAD, HACC was able to operate with more flexibility throughout the process with a new flow of capital funds not previously available.
“HACC is self-developing the properties and we are excited to include these new improvements into our portfolio. We are preserving the existing housing that we have so that families and seniors will have a a decent, safe place to live,” said HACC Executive Director Richard Monocchio.
Monocchio added that convenience was also a considering factor and none of the residents needed to relocate permanately during the construction phases.
The projects are:
Evanston Senior Redevelopment
Total Number of Units: 199
Total Project Cost: $23.8 Million
Jane Perlman Apartments – Evanston, IL
Interior Improvements: Apartments received new appliances, flooring, bathroom fixtures, windows, painting and kitchen cabinets. Common area upgrades included new flooring, paint and furniture.
Exterior Improvements: Exterior brick masonry was repaired and all exterior doors and windows were replaced.
Site Improvements: The parking lot and sidewalk were repaired and resurfaced to comply with accessibility standards.
Victor Walchirck Apartments – Evanston, IL
Interior Improvements: Apartments received new appliances, flooring, bathroom fixtures, windows, painting and kitchen cabinets. Common area renovations included accessible pathways, paint and flooring.
Exterior Improvements: Roof repair, tuck-pointing and masonry work.
Site Improvements: Parking lot and sidewalk repair, plumbing and mechanical upgrades and elevator renovations.
North Suburban Housing
Total Number of Units: 244
Total Project Cost: $27.7 Million
Armond King Apartments – Skokie, IL
Interior Improvements: New appliances, flooring, painting, kitchen cabinets, bathroom fixtures and lighting. Installation of automatic fire sprinkler. New air handler. New smoke detectors and fire alarm system.
Exterior Improvements: Tuck-pointing and masonry work, roof repair, new windows.
Site Improvements: The parking lot and sidewalk were repaired and resurfaced to comply with accessibility standards.
Albert Goedke Apartments – Arlington Heights, IL
Interior Improvements: Apartments received new appliances, flooring, bathroom fixtures, windows, painting and kitchen. cabinets. Common area upgrades included new flooring, paint and furniture. One computer for every ten units were added for tenant use.
Exterior Improvements: Exterior brick masonry was repaired and all exterior doors and windows were replaced.
Site Improvements: Sidewalk repair and parking lot resurfacing. The parking lot and sidewalk were repaired and resurfaced to comply with accessibility standards.
Cook County Suburban Redevelopment
Total Number of Units: 226
Total Project Cost: $30.7 Million
Wheeling Tower – Wheeling, IL
Interior Improvements: Apartments have new appliances, flooring, bathroom fixtures, windows, painting and kitchen cabinets. Common area upgrades include new flooring, paint and furniture.
Exterior Improvements: Exterior brick masonry have been repaired and all exterior doors and windows replaced.
Site Improvements: The parking lot and sidewalk have been repaired and resurfaced to comply with accessibility standards.
Huntington Apartments – Niles, IL
Interior Improvements: Apartments have new appliances, flooring, bathroom fixtures, windows, painting and kitchen cabinets. Common area upgrades include new flooring, paint and furniture.
Exterior Improvements: Exterior brick masonry have been repaired and all exterior doors and windows replaced.
Site Improvements: The parking lot and sidewalk have been repaired and resurfaced to comply with accessibility standards.
Richard Flowers Homes – Robbins, IL
Total Number of Units: 100
Total Project Cost: $19.8 Million
Interior Improvements: Apartments have new appliances, flooring, bathroom fixtures, windows, painting and kitchen cabinets. Common area upgrades include new flooring, paint and furniture.
Exterior Improvements: Exterior brick masonry have been repaired and all exterior doors and windows replaced.
Site Improvements: The parking lot and sidewalk have been repaired and resurfaced to comply with accessibility standards.
South Suburban Senior Living
Total Number of Units: 223
Total Project Cost: $28.1 Million
Edward Brown Apartments – Robbins, IL
Interior Improvements: All units have received new paint. 10% of appliances have been replaced and all window A/C units have been replaced as well. Elevator modernization. Fire pump controller, water heaters, emergency pull chords, intercom system, smoke detectors, generator, and fire alarm control panel to be replaced. Seven units are now UFAS compliant and two have become hearing and visual impaired units.
Exterior Improvements: New windows and roof repair.
Turlington West Apartments – Harvey, IL
Interior Improvements: All common areas have been made accessible. New flooring and paint in corridors and lobby. 15 units are now UFAS compliant and completely rehabbed. Three units have become hearing and visual impaired units. New fire pump and controller.
Exterior Improvements: New doors and windows. Selective repair of masonry and concrete and replacement of all exterior doors and windows.
Site Improvements: The parking lot and sidewalk have been repaired and resurfaced to comply with accessibility standards.
Southern County Community Housing
Total Number of Units: 233
Total Project Cost: $26.5 Million
Golden Towers I & II – Chicago Heights, IL
Interior Improvements: New common area reading room. Six units have become UFAS compliant with new finishes, kitchen cabinets, plumbing fixtures, and appliances. Two units have become hearing and visual impaired compliant. Elevator modernization, new emergency generator and new make-up air unit. Accessibility upgrades.
Exterior Improvements: Masonry repair and painting of concrete entry canopy.
Site Improvements: The parking lot and sidewalk have been repaired and resurfaced to comply with accessibility standards.
Juniper Tower – Park Forest, IL
Interior Improvements: Twelve units have become UFAS compliant and received new paint, flooring, fixtures and cabinetry. Three units have become hearing and visual impaired compliant. New flooring and paint in common areas. Elevator modernization. Make-up air unit, condensing unit, emergency pull chords, smoke detectors, and fire pumps have been replaced.
Exterior Improvements: New aluminum windows and first floor entry door. Concrete repair and roof replacement.
Site Improvements: Sidewalk repair and parking lot resurfacing. Accessibility upgrades include curb cuts/ramps.
Franklin Heinrich (Broke ground late 2018, completion expected late 2019)
Total Number of Units: 252
Total Project Cost: $42.8 Million
Franklin Towers – Franklin Park, IL
Interior Improvements: Creation of 21 additional accessible units, new floor finishes , new kitchen cabinets, countertops, sinks, and fixtures, new appliances, installation of fire-protection-sprinkler piping and heads throughout residential and common areas.
Exterior Improvements: Roof replacement, brick masonry repairs, new windows with energy efficient aluminum-framed units.
Site Improvements: Milling, overlay, sealcoating and striping of asphalt pavement, other aesthetic parking lot improvements.
Heinrich House – Des Plaines, IL
Interior Improvements: Creation of 27 accessible units and UFAS improvements, new lighting fixtures, new kitchen fixtures, new appliances, renovation of elevator cabs.
Exterior Improvements: Brick masonry repairs, replacement of existing windows with energy efficient aluminum-framed units, replacement of exterior storefront and doors. Replacement of sealant in exterior walls.
Site Improvements: Milling, overlay, sealcoating and striping of asphalt pavement, new lighting with LED units, including light poles, new bike racks on new concrete slab.
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