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Forest View resident council urges Blue Island to formally recognize residents, press property owner on sale
Summary
Joseph Cervantes, interim secretary of the Forest View Resident Council, asked the Blue Island City Council to recognize the resident council as a partner in redevelopment or relocation talks, to pressure the property owner to meet financial obligations and to support a resident-led management model to preserve affordable housing.
Joseph Cervantes, interim secretary of the Forest View Resident Council, told the Blue Island City Council on Tuesday that the council represents roughly 59 families and urged the city to formally recognize the resident council in any redevelopment or relocation discussions affecting Forest View Mobile Home Park.
"We ask that the city of Blue Island continue to recognize the resident council as the key partner in any discussions regarding the redevelopment or the relocation of our residents," Cervantes said, and said he would be sending a community fact sheet and draft language for the council to review for public record.
Cervantes requested three specific actions: that the council review and help finalize the forthcoming fact sheet and draft for possible public record; that the city press the current property owner to meet financial obligations to the city and residents; and that the city support a resident-led or social-impact management model that preserves mixed-income affordable housing and long-term community stability. He also asked the council to press the owner to provide a letter of intent to sell after reaching a fair agreement with the buyer team he referenced.
The request came during the public comment period; Cervantes told council members he will follow up with an email that includes a case study of another Midwest mobile-home community and documentation of the resident council's work to stabilize the neighborhood. "We are entering into a critical period where everyone involved should and needs to step up and start making things happen," he said.
The council did not take any formal action during the meeting on the requests described by Cervantes. The mayor noted city administration department heads are available for discussions after meetings and that public comment is a one-way forum for input to the council.
Next steps: Cervantes said the resident council will submit the fact sheet and draft language to the council by email for formal review and potential entry into the public record.
