The City Council will have to decide whether the Margarita Inn, 1566 Oak Ave., can continue to operate as a facility serving people experiencing homelessness without a recommendation – positive or negative – from the Evanston Land Use Commission.
The commission tied 3-3, with three members absent, during a final vote Wednesday night on whether Connections for the Homeless should be given a special use permit to continue housing clients at the 46-room inn. The agency, which has operated the inn since early 2020, has faced a months-long controversy over its plans.
The lack of a recommendation means that City Council members will not be able to rely on specific guidance from the commission to decide the debate about the Margarita.
The commission previously heard the case on Nov. 30 last year and voted 5-3 in the agency’s favor. However, real estate investor Cameel Halim, whose Halim Time & Glass Museum, 1560 Oak Ave., abuts the property, said he did not have a proper chance to ask for a continuance of the case.
In February, a Cook County judge halted a scheduled City Council hearing on the matter. The judge ordered that the commission reopen the case, hear Halim’s testimony, and take another vote April 26. No additional public testimony was allowed.
Mayor Daniel Biss signed a Good Neighbor agreement on behalf of the city along with Connections CEO Betty Boggs to guide interactions between the inn, its residents and the community. Various neighbors introduced an alternative Good Neighbor agreement last week.
Representatives for Halim and Connections for the Homeless presented arguments at the April 26 meeting that Commissioner John Hewko characterized as “he said, she said.” Hewko voted no. Gary DeClark, an appraiser with Valbridge Property Advisors, testified on Halim’s behalf that property values had gone down in the immediate vicinity of Margarita Inn, while property values elsewhere in Evanston rose. Mary Linberger, an appraiser hired by Connections, said DeClark’s data was flawed.
Similarly, while Halim’s team highlighted a spike in area crime and maintained that the agency forbade residents to notify police of violent incidents, representatives for Connections argued crimes had gone down. The agency also maintained that its operations were in full compliance with notification requirements.
Commissioner Myrna Arevalo said the commission was consistently being asked to compare “apples and oranges” and took both sides to task for not properly contextualizing their data. Arevalo voted in favor.
Commissioner George Halik, a no vote, called the case “a sad situation” and said it had been “turned into a political football.” He said, “We’ve got to do this right, and I don’t think we’re there yet. [We] would appreciate a much more defined proposal.”
Commissioner Kristine Westerberg also voted no. She said she was wary of the designation of Margarita Inn as a rooming house, which is necessary for its permit. Westerberg noted that rooming houses did not usually provide the support services that Margarita Inn would have to provide for its residents. She also suggested a different location, so Connections would not have to spend so much time centering its program around neighborhood requirements.
“I don’t think that there’s any question that a transitional housing [facility] is needed,” she said.
Commissioner Kiril Mirintchev voted yes and said that he shared many of his colleagues’ concerns. But Mirintchev said he was impressed by Connections’ assertion that about 70% of former Margarita residents were connected with permanent housing.
Prior to the vote, Halik questioned how substantive a recommendation the commission could make, since an operating agreement between the City and Connections has yet to be completed. Board Chair Matt Rodgers said that the specifics of the agreement would ultimately be outside of the commission’s purview and the responsibility of the full City Council. Rodgers was the final affirmative vote.
Bottom line for these debates is that people/property owners opinions should be weighted based on their proximity to the property involved in any particular situation.
Fair is Fair, and the opinions of neighbors should be respected 20x above the nice people with nice intentions.
I live within 500 feet of the Margarita, and I agree. I was part of a Margarita neighbors group that crafted the “alternative” Good Neighbor Agreement, and we are invested in good outcomes for all parties involved. Yet our concerns are being “steamrolled” by those who live far outside the neighborhood – or that don’t even live in Evanston. We’ve been ignored, even by our elected officials whose job it *should* be to at least listen to us…
It’s easy to “virtue signal” from afar. But it is we immediate Margarita neighbors who are directly affected – and are doing the “heavy lifting” to try to assure that this process does not result in disaster…
Respectfully,
Gregory Morrow – Evanston 4th Ward resident
The young woman discussing child abuse in the building as well as a male resident who was raped by someone who climbed through a window was extremely compelling. I want to understand why there is a sour relationship with police and why Connections does not accommodate police. This posture of shaming people and calling them “racist” or “nimbys” but not fully accounting for the health and well being of their residents easily breeds suspicion. If they really do prevent police from doing investigative work that would be a peoblem in any neighborhood. Also, I had no impression that Mr. Halim is opposed for financial reasons or because he is prejudice against the homeless. It would be very foolish for Connections to continue making such assertions about their detractors. These are very clearly individuals who want the best for the community, which includes the homeless individuals inside the building. Will there be another opportunity to get more information on this application at the next hearing? What happens next?
The kiss of death to the validity of Connections Good Neighbor Agreement was their pathetic yard sign campaign. Anyone see a sign within 500 feet of the shelter? 1000? Me neither. Go back to thr negotiating table and make a real Good Neighbor Agreement.
The closest one aside from the window of the Presbyterian Homes building ladies (if they’re allowed signage) or St. Mark’s would most likely be 1900-ish feet away at Jean’s about 1980′ feet away is my guess.
I wonder how you or others with a similar take felt about the waste transfer facility in the 5th ward? None of those neighboring that facility voted in favor of it, yet there it is.
Someone asked if there might be something related to the timing of this situation that could shed some light on this matter..
..and I said..
..”given the intensity of the issues surrounding us and the world today, perhaps it’s given to..
..feed understanding to peoples minds..
..and to feed tolerance and compassion to peoples hearts.”
(And that’s why the chicken crossed the road.)
Seems ironic to me that Mr Halim’s plan for the former King Home is “fuzzy” as a boarding, rental Vs rooming vs SRO “ hotel , hostel, home.
Mr. Halim proposes an “apartment hotel” for the former King Home. The Evanston Zoning Code, section 6-18-3, defines an apartment hotel as “A hotel with dwelling units in which all accommodations are provided in dwelling units and in which at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the guestrooms are for occupancy by transient guests.” Mr. Halim’s proposal for the King Home calls for all accommodations/guestrooms to be “dwelling units” and that at least twenty-five percent of those guestrooms be for “transient guests”. There is nothing “fuzzy” about his proposal.
It’s fun to tie to slightly related things together in order to further an agenda.
My thoughts since Mr Halim’s announcement of his intentions for the King Home building boil down to:
Connections will get to do what they want without repercussion regarding the Margarita Inn.
It would only make sense that an “Apartment Hotel” across the street from the “Shelter” would be an asset to Connections For The Homeless’ program where people wanting to get housing could get an apartment across the street with a 4 minute or less walk to any support program or emergency issue by crossing the street. You’d still be downtown with easy access to public transit and everything else of the area’s attractions/services.
It’s win/win for both parties.
Given the emergency thing that Mayor Biss pushed thru a few weeks ago, it won’t matter what either building is classified as.
Ms. Davis,
These are different topics, of course. You should come to the neighborhood meeting on the King Home plans on Saturday. Assuming, of course, you live in the neighborhood.