PLAN COMMISSION Tuesday, February 7, 2012 ... - Village of Palatine

plan commission
tuesday, february 7, 2012
page 6
Kenny said that if a town prohibits group homes and doesn’t get sued, it gets away with its
policy. He noted that towns’ definitions of group homes are “all over the place.”
Halfway houses are a different matter, he added, noting that by definition residents can be
recovering drug users, those released from prison, children with behavior disorders. These are
not in the purview of the Fair Housing Act.
Hansen asked Annerino why he proposed removing categories from his proposed amendment.
Annerino said he feels it better to keep people out of neighborhoods who have committed a
crime.
Susan Christopher, 1311 N. Deer, said group homes fall in different categories. Current homes
are not transitional living for those in rehabilitation, she said. They have an investment in the
neighborhood they’re in. She asked that Palatine consider the safety of residents in the
neighborhood where group homes can be placed. “How can the village restrict the types of
patients and staff?” she asked.
Ms. Christopher noted that high incidence of group home violence: staff on patients, being
particularly bad, according to her research findings for New York City, Los Angeles, and Seattle.
Palatine has a good record to date, she noted. However, she feels violence could be “just
around the corner, especially as Palatine transitions from permanent residents to transitional
residents.”
Brian Garcea, 1401 Autumn, asked what neighboring communities are doing. Vyverberg said
the Northwest Municipal Conference is the clearing house for the answers to Garcea’s question.
Garcea asked Palatine to get legal opinions on this issue from other towns.
He said he does not want a group home as his neighbor. “I would not have bought my house if
a group home had been in the neighborhood,” he said. “We can’t get rid of them entirely,” he
said, “so let’s make them as small as possible.”
Danny Contimica, 1328 N. Park ave., said he built his home four years ago. He had to comply
with Palatine building codes. He applauds Inverness for not allowing group homes. He doesn’t
want someone in drug rehabilitation or a halfway house hurting his daughter. Parking would not
be available on site for 13 cars, he asserted, so the parking will be done on street.
“I don’t want Palatine’s reputation to be it allows everything in order to get the almighty dollar,”
he said. He feels group homes would generate too much daytime traffic with deliveries and staff
comings and goings. “This will promote havoc, chaos, and violence,” he said.
Dwyer said Inverness is violating federal law. “This is not something to be proud of.”
Contimica said Palatine can say it “will not tolerate riff raff in our neighborhood.”