Affordable Housing Workshop
Last night, Naperville City Council held a workshop to discuss eight recommendations made by the Housing Advisory Commission to address the lack of affordable housing. Though some of the recommendations had the support of the entire council, others were more controversial. That includes creating an Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance, which would require developers to set aside a percentage of housing units to be priced at affordable rates. Some felt that would lead to less development. The Illinois Housing Development Authority has twice cited Naperville for not meeting affordable housing standards. It was the only Illinois city of more than 50,000 residents cited. City staff will use feedback from the meeting to develop policies and legislation to be voted on at future council meetings.
IHSA Lawsuit
A group of student athletes and their parents have sued the IHSA in the hope that fall sports return. The lawsuit, which was filed at the DuPage County court, alleges that the IHSA violated its own bylaws by moving fall sports to the spring. They’re also asking for a temporary restraining order to stop the IHSA from enforcing its Return to Play guidelines. The sports currently unable to return are football, soccer, and volleyball.
Moser Tower Delay
At the September 16 Naperville City Council meeting, city staff said the city has spent $17 million less this year, largely due to delaying capital projects. That could extend to next year, as the Naperville Sun reported Moser Tower’s repairs could also be put on hold. In early March, city council voted to spend about $1.5 million on repairs on the tower, which is starting to deteriorate. Mayor Steve Chirico told the Sun he doubted repair work would begin as scheduled in 2021. City staff will release a first draft of the 2021 budget on October 16.
Census End Date Moved Up
The U.S. Secretary of Commerce issued a statement moving the end date for the 2020 Census up to October 5. Naperville currently leads all U.S. cities with more than 140,000 residents with 84% response rate. That’s more than two percent ahead of the next city. If you haven’t yet filled out the census, you can do so online at 2020census.gov.
Turning Pointe Pumpkin Kits
Though Turning Pointe Autism Foundation is unable to hold its annual Pumpkin Race this year, they’re encouraging you to take the fun home. You can still order a pumpkin kit box or a ready-to-race pumpkin and hold your own races at home. They’re also asking you to post a video of your race and tag them on social media.
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