Hinsdale Fails To Submit Required Housing Plan

HINSDALE, IL — Hinsdale is hardly an affordable place to live. In 2019, the village's median home value was nearly $900,000, according to the U.S. Census.

Under a 2003 law, the state required towns with more than 1,000 people and less than 10 percent affordable housing to submit affordable housing plans every 10 years.

Hinsdale has yet to submit its latest plan, which was due in June 2015, more than six years ago. Just 3.3 percent of the village's housing is considered affordable, according to the Illinois Housing Development Authority.

An October 2020 authority spreadsheet indicates 46 towns have affordable housing of less than 10 percent. Of those, 31, including Hinsdale, have failed to turn in the required plans.

Village officials could not be reached for comment.

In a 2015 interview with Pioneer Press, Hinsdale Village President Tom Cauley said his town was in the process of updating its 2005 affordable housing plan, but blamed turnover in the village manager's position for preventing Hinsdale from meeting the state deadline.

However, turnover has not been an issue since September 2013, when the current manager, Kathleen Gargano, took the helm.

Hinsdale is one of the wealthiest towns in Illinois. But 16 towns have even lower percentages of affordable housing — Barrington Hills, Campton Hills, Deer Park, Frankfort, Glencoe, Inverness, Kenilworth, Lakewood, Long Grove, North Barrington, Northfield, Oak Brook, South Barrington, Timberlane, Western Springs and Winnetka.

Some towns without plans, including Elmhurst, say the law does not apply to them because they are home rule. Hinsdale does not have that status.

In Elmhurst, the lack of an affordable housing plan was one of the issues raised during League of Women Voters forums for mayoral and City Council candidates last winter.

Shortly after, Patch asked Elmhurst about its lack of a plan. Citing the city's home-rule status, a spokeswoman said the city manager would nonetheless discuss the law requiring the plans with staff for future consideration. No plan has gone before the council since then.

Western Springs has turned in a plan, while La Grange has not.

Through public records requests, Patch found that the state Housing Development Authority has regularly contacted Hinsdale about its lack of a plan.