Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

48° Evanston, IL
Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Advertisement
Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive our email newsletter in your inbox.



Advertisement

Advertisement

Residents To Vote On Raising Transfer Tax To Cover Housing Plan

By Vincent BradshawThe Daily Northwestern

With less than a week until Election Day, some Evanston residents are just beginning to learn about a referendum that might determine the future of affordable housing in the city.

Next Tuesday, Evanston residents will decide whether to increase the real estate transfer tax by $1 per $1,000 of the property’s sale price. The extra money will be added to a fund that will help low-income families rent or purchase property in the city.

Some property owners said they opposed any move to create affordable housing in the city, but almost all who were interviewed agreed they likely would vote in favor of the referendum.

Kristi MacPherson, who owns a condominium in downtown Evanston, said she had not read the language of the referendum yet, but she plans to support it. Most residents can afford to spare the extra dollar, and the city could do better to make affordable housing, she said.

“If we’re going to have a tax, that’s the one to have,” she said. “It’s not like (residents) are selling their homes every year.”

The tax would affect homeowners only when they sell their property. Money from the current tax goes into a general fund for city spending – only the extra dollar would be spent on affordable housing.

Jeff McNear also said he had not studied the referendum, but he plans to support it. McNear, who lives in a house near Asbury Avenue, admits he is skeptical because aldermen have not clearly said how the money would be distributed. He also wondered if developers would find ways to avoid paying.

“How exempt are the developers?” McNear said. “That would make the difference to me – to see how much wiggle room there is for the developers.”

The tax increase would affect all property sales. The money collected from the tax increase would be coupled with revenue from the city’s new plan for inclusionary housing. The ordinance requires future developers to pay the city $40,000 times 10 percent of the proposed housing units.

The response from constituents varies between sections of the city, according to some city council members. Residents of the city’s Sixth Ward seem to support the referendum, said Ald. Edmund Moran (6th), who has been receiving calls and e-mails.

Ald. Steven Bernstein (4th) said he has been receiving calls asking him to explain the referendum, but he said he is optimistic that voters will support it.

“I’ve heard people inquiring about what it is, but once I explain it to people, they say, ‘Oh yeah, I’ll support that,'” he said.

Joe Goldman, who lives on Orrington Avenue, said he likely will vote against the increase, because it creates “handouts” that are unfair to others.

“If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it,” he said. “Earn your money and buy your goods yourself.”

Reach Vincent Bradshaw at [email protected].

More to Discover
Activate Search
Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881
Residents To Vote On Raising Transfer Tax To Cover Housing Plan