HOUSING OAK PARK

Single-Room Occupancy (SRO)

Issue One: The possible loss of the Single Room Occupancy (SRO) housing units at the YMCA

Description: The West Cook YMCA located in Oak Park has announced its intention of closing the Oak Park facility and building a new facility in Forest Park. The new facility will not contain any housing units, thereby causing the displacement of the residents then residing in the 128 units of SRO housing at the Y building. Since most of these residents are low-income individuals who cannot afford other housing in the area, many will become homeless and contribute to the already large number of homeless individuals and families in our community. HOP is very concerned that these SRO units will not easily be replaced, once the facility is closed.

Recommended Action: The Village, its housing partners, including the Residence Corporation and the Housing Authority, and in conjunction with other non-profit organizations that serve the homeless, e.g., West Suburban PADS, should develop a plan to deal with the potential loss of these valuable housing units. This plan should focus on efforts to build a permanent supportive housing facility in Oak Park. The members of HOP strongly believe that it is better to provide appropriate services to the former residents of the Y within a residential setting operated by a service provider with expertise in supportive housing than to allow them to become homeless..

If it is not feasible to develop a permanent supportive housing facility in Oak Park, the Village, its housing partners, and other service agencies should develop a strategy of providing housing support and appropriate services to these residents to prevent them from becoming homeless.

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