Committee advances Phase 1 of village affordable homeownership program, cites $159K village share for 10 homes

The Machesney Park Planning & Economic Development Committee voted Feb. 2 to forward Resolution 11‑R‑26 to the village board with a positive recommendation to authorize Phase 1 of an affordable homeownership program.

Village staff (Kevin) said the program would focus on infill lots in the Darby Close subdivision on Brentwood Road, using village‑owned and land bank‑owned parcels where possible. "The definition for affordable housing is housing in which the occupant is paying no more than 30% of their income on housing and utility costs," Kevin told the committee, explaining the program's eligibility philosophy.

Staff proposed partnering with Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity as the developer and described a typical Habitat home for the area: a three‑bedroom, two‑bath ranch with an attached garage. Kevin estimated a per‑unit construction cost of about $170,000; for a 10‑home build he estimated a total project cost of approximately $1,760,000. He said the village's role would be site readiness — civil engineering, utility connections, stormwater work, permit‑fee waivers and, if needed, acquiring privately owned lots — and estimated the village share at roughly 9% or about $159,000. Staff projected that, under their sales‑tax return analysis, the village's investment would be paid in full by year 11 of a 30‑year mortgage model.

Trustees asked whether lot acquisition for the four privately owned parcels was included; Kevin confirmed acquisition would be undertaken by the village and that acquisition costs were within the cited village budget amount. A village staff member introduced Alex Gellner from Hennig and Eric Sutter from the Northern Illinois Land Bank Authority; staff said the land bank has disposition authorities that can facilitate placing properties with Habitat or another developer.

The committee voted "aye" and agreed to send Resolution 11‑R‑26 to the Feb. 17 village board meeting with a positive recommendation to authorize Phase 1 site‑readiness activities.