Realtors weigh in on options available in the area
By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Two residential realtors have backed recent sentiment that affordable housing within Union Grove is in short supply.
In the hopes of getting a better handle on the village’s housing needs in the road ahead, the board of directors on the Union Grove Community Development Authority are bringing in outside experts.
In particular, the CDA is taking a deep dive into the topic of “workforce housing” — a term frequently affixed to affordable options for middle-income wage earners.
Village Administrator Mike Hawes said his goal is to bring in experts with “boots on the ground” experience into the various factors that might lead people to plant roots in Union Grove.
“We wanted to get the 360-degree view of this issue of housing and affordability,” Hawes said at the CDA’s most recent meeting of June 21. “At the end of this, maybe there’s a clear strategy.”
Village officials have been bullish on pulling out all the stops for workforce housing options within the community.
Village President Mike Aimone said recent housing developments show there still is a pent-up demand for residential accommodations within the village. Case in point: Apartments within the mixed-use Granary site reportedly are near capacity.
In the first go-around with outside experts, the CDA sought expertise within one of the most obvious professions: realtors. Jeff Braun of Jeff Braun Realty LLC and Sandra Carlson of Shorewest Realtors shared their thoughts on housing within Union Grove.
From her vantage point, Carlson said, Union Grove has an attribute that frequently brings families into the community.
“In this area, it’s the school system,” she said.
But the idea of making Union Grove a place to live, work and play within one fell swoop might not be realistic, according to the experts.
While the village could have attractive housing options, Braun said job opportunities and shopping will likely fall outside the municipal boundaries.
“Union Grove is in a great location, it’s a great place to live,” Braun said. “It would be a great place to work, but I kind of feel like we’re now fighting Amazon and online shopping. Unfortunately, I think our location is just a big hindrance.”
The sweet spot for workforce housing is likely somewhere in the $250,000 range, according to the realtors.
When asked whether prospective homebuyers looking in Union Grove and surrounding areas favored large lots, small lots, subdivisions and other features, the realtors said it is difficult to pinpoint one specific category.
“It’s all over the board,” Braun said.
At upcoming meetings, the goal is invite other experts — including business representatives and mortgage brokers — to share their thoughts on workforce housing in Union Grove, Hawes said.
At the recent meeting, the CDA also heard a report from Hawes on the status of the Union Grove Public Market, which this year moved to its new location and underwent a rebranding effort.
The number of vendors, Hawes said, has increased by about 75 percent. Patronage, he said, hovers around 400 attendees per market.
Additionally, Hawes discussed the status of local businesses and their reopening efforts on the heels of COVID-19 closures. Most of the businesses, Hawes said, have resumed operations.
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