Rockford Sun

City of Rockford Community Relations Commission met July 11.

Here are the minutes provided by the commission:

I. CALL TO ORDER 

Commissioner Todd Burton called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.

Attendee Name	Organization	Title	Status	Arrived
Todd Burton	City of Rockford		Present
Eric Brown	City of Rockford		Present
Jurea Crudup	City of Rockford		Present
Nikki Lynch	City of Rockford		Present
William Martin	City of Rockford		Present
Norma Borrero	City of Rockford		Present
Mary Kaull	City of Rockford		Present
James McDowell	City of Rockford		Present
Joan Velazquez	City of Rockford		Present

II. ACCEPTANCE OF JOURNAL 

A. Journal of proceedings for the Community Relations Committee meeting held on May 9, 2024 

Commissioner Jurea Crudup moved to accept the Journal of Proceedings for the Community Relations Committee meeting held on May 9, 2024, seconded by Commissioner Eric Brown.

III. INFORMATION ONLY 

Commissioner Burton spoke on what the topic for the meeting was and thanked Neeley Erickson for helping gather the speakers. He then welcomed the panelists and had them introduce themselves.

Ginger Sreenan - Immediate past president of the Northwest Illinois Alliance of Realtors, a realtor for 30 years.

Pam Desanti - from Green State Credit Union, a mortgage lender for over 30 years. Melissa Voss - first time home buyer.

Mary Maxted - has been a realtor for 11 years, works with Coldewell Banker Real Estate Group, as well as a member of the Northwest Illinois Alliance of Realtors, and president of the Government Affairs Committee.

Abigail Dean - first time home buyer

Patti Roman - a realtor with Dickerson & Nieman, has been doing it for 4 years.

Neeley Erickson - Illinois Realtors Government Affairs Director. Assists Northwest of Illinois Alliance realtors to connect with their elected officials, community organizations to help educate about housing affordability and private property rights.

Kari Asevedo - Executive Director of the Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity, has served them for 10 years. Which is an affordable housing developer and a licensed mortgage lender.

A. Affordable Housing 

1. What are the barriers to first time home ownership in Rockford and how can we alleviate them? 

Commissioner Burton asked the first-time home buyers why they chose Rockford to purchase their home.

Ms. Voss responded after she graduated she received a job offer in the area.

Ms. Dean said it was family and the support system she has in Rockford.

Commissioner Crudup asked the first-time home buyers what their barriers were to buying?

Ms. Voss said she was looking for a home within her budget, in a decent location, and for the house to be in decent condition. Mentioned finding a home with just those three parameters was difficult.

Ms. Dean agreed with Mrs. Voss, but added if an offer was not made right away the home would be off the market by the end of the day.

Commissioner James McDowell asked the buyers if it was harder to find a place or financing?

Both buyers agreed both things can be challenging because when they would find a home they would get outbid by cash offers and trying to find a home that would pass FHA requirements.

Mortgage lender Desanti weight in on the conversation of first-time home buyers losing opportunities to cash offers or offers exceeding the listing price. Talked on how the market has changed drastically and the amount of people offering cash for homes.

B. Cost of Living in a home/challenges 

Commissioner McDowell asked how easy/hard it is to finance a manufacture home?

Realtor Ginger Sreenan and Lender Pam Desanti spoke about what was easier/harder to finance.

Commissioner Burton asked if there were problems with code variance in Rockford that needed to be addressed?

The panelists agreed there are problems, from zoning, property taxes (homeowners' exemption), to insurance (being a bigger part on the cost of loan).

Commissioner McDowell asked who are the people that are buying homes with cash offers?

Realtor Mary Maxted responded those people range from investors, to people who have sold their home, people relocating, to people who are taking money out of their investment portfolio.

Commissioner Crudup asked Kari Asevedo how many people apply for the Habitat Humanity mortgage?

Mrs. Asevedo talked about the requirements for the mortgage (filling out application, volunteering hours to community, and courses to attend). Mentioned application will open in August 12 and close September 13, with 780 people interested in their mortgage that have already uploaded documents to their portal. She also said from those who apply only 15 will be chosen/approved for the mortgage.

Director Erickson also mentioned programs out there that the City could take the next step to help advance homeownership. As well as other opportunities in place that do help first time home buyers.

Commissioner Joan Velazquez asked what characteristics first time home buyers considered to be a "good neighborhood"?

Buyers Melissa Voss and Abigail Dean agreed that crime, proximity to a park/bike path, how the neighborhood itself looked, were factors in deciding if a neighborhood was good and how comfortable they felt and knew the area.

Commissioner Eric Brown asked if there are any states or communities that they see have zoning figured out or doing housing the right way to engage and learn from them to apply in Rockford so the City can contact and asked them how they did it?

Mrs. Erickson referenced the National Association of Realtors book called On Common Ground (Fall 2023) that talks about zoning innovation, that was handed out to each commissioner that will provide a good perspective of what others are doing, but pointed out that what works for one community may not work for another.

Commissioner McDowell shared a website which he came across that mentioned those topics and could be a great resource: regionalhousingsolutions.org

IV. COMMISSIONER REPORTS 

Commissioner Burton said the Mayor has nominated Scott Garwick to the Community Relations Commission that will be voted on July 22.

Commissioner Brown shared RAMP partnered with Rockford Park District for an accessible event out at Levings Lake, on September 14 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. A free event to create an opportunity for residents with disabilities and their families to experience canoeing, and enjoy food trucks.

Commissioner McDowell attended a meeting on June 12 with Region 1 coordinator and public engagement coordinator to discuss assets that they have. Which he said they are whiling to give their property, and said would be something to look at that could possibly bring more modular homes to the area for contractors to have and build on, by working with different team players, and creating opportunities.

V. ADJOURNMENT 

1. Motion to Adjourn 

Commissioner Crudup made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Commissioner Velazquez. The meeting was adjourned at 6:43 p.m.

RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]  AYES: Burton, Brown, Crudup, McDowell, Velazquez

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