Western Springs Met State Rule; Hinsdale Did Not

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL — The median home value in Western Springs is $610,000, about three times the national average, according to U.S. Census figures.

Neighboring Hinsdale has an even higher median, at $984,000.

At the same time, Hinsdale has a slightly higher percentage of housing that is deemed affordable — 3.3 percent to Western Springs' 1.5 percent.

Under state law, Western Springs and Hinsdale are among 46 towns statewide that are required every 10 years to turn in plans to increase the amount of affordable housing, according to an Illinois Housing Development Authority spreadsheet. These towns all have affordable housing of less than 10 percent.

Western Springs has submitted its latest plan. It was due in June 2015. Hinsdale has yet to do so, along with 30 other towns.

Hinsdale 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 Hinsdale manager, Kathleen Gargano, took the helm.

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

Some towns without plans, including Elmhurst, say the law does not apply to them because they are home rule. Hinsdale and Western Springs do 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.