Unidentified speaker describes using Chicago Heights program to rehab vacant houses and return them to tax rolls
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Summary
An unidentified speaker in the transcript said they used a Chicago Heights economic development program and an attorney named Agee to rehabilitate vacant houses, described long waits with one alternative program, and urged returning vacant properties to the tax roll to reduce village costs.
An unidentified speaker said in a transcript that they worked with a Chicago Heights economic development program and attorney Agee to rehabilitate vacant houses, describing the initial work as mowing lawns and making properties look “well lived in.”
“I first thing I did was make the properties look very well lived in,” the Unidentified Speaker said, and added that they started rehabilitation and lawn maintenance before engaging the program. The speaker described the Chicago Heights route as “seamless” after doing their research and seeking local contacts.
The speaker said they had met attorney Agee previously at a Park Forest crime free housing summit and that Agee helped them understand how the program worked. The speaker also said they contacted one other program but that it “took the guy, like, 12 weeks to call me back,” signaling variability in responsiveness among programs.
An inspection conducted with a program representative showed the property was in poor condition, the speaker said, and they confirmed that assessment with Chicago Heights inspectors and “a few detectives.” The speaker characterized the Chicago Heights program as effective: “The program has definitely worked,” they said, and noted program staff offered to connect them with a contact for further assistance.
The speaker estimated there are “several 100” vacant properties in the area that could be candidates for rehabilitation; that figure was given as an approximation and was not broken down or documented in the transcript. They said residents frequently ask how to buy and fix vacant houses and framed returning those homes to the tax roll as a way to save both the village and nearby residents money, referencing fiscal concerns “as the mayor said.” The mayor was not named in the transcript.
The transcript does not record any formal action, vote, or ordinance tied to these remarks, nor does it name a governing body or provide a date for the statements. Next procedural steps or any official referrals were not specified in the transcript.