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Village board grants Kenneth Young ‘living room’ conditional use at Myers Place with strict conditions
Summary
The Village Board approved a conditional use for Kenneth Young Center to operate a 24/7 low‑capacity mental‑health 'living room' at Myers Place (1585 Dempster St., Suite 110), subject to conditions limiting stays to under 23 hours, capping overnight guests at six and requiring annual reporting and coordination with police and human services.
The Mount Prospect Village Board voted April 7 to grant a conditional use permit for the Kenneth Young Center to operate a mental‑health “living room” at Myers Place, 1585 Dempster St., Suite 110.
Jason Shellcross, the village’s Director of Community Development, told trustees the living room is an established model of crisis intervention and stabilization: adults age 18 and older can use the facility voluntarily, stays are limited (no single guest may stay longer than 23 hours), overnight capacity is limited to six guests, and at least two qualified staff will be on duty during overnight hours. Staff emphasized coordination with police, EMS and human services through quarterly meetings and noted no Planning & Zoning opposition; the Planning & Zoning Commission had unanimously recommended approval 7–0 subject to detailed operational conditions.
Shellcross said staff drafted the ordinance to reflect the petitioner’s own operational manual and cited conditions that include exclusive use for crisis intervention and stabilization, limits on guesting and re‑entry, safe entry procedures and secure storage of prohibited items, mandatory transportation arrangements for program participants, and an annual report due to the village documenting service activity. Staff warned that failure to comply could trigger revocation proceedings.
Kenneth Young staff described their drop‑in and living‑room operations and said the facility acts as an alternative to emergency‑department visits; they reported average stays of four-to-five hours and said a mobile crisis unit and coordinated referrals help when additional care is needed. Police and fire officials said initial increases in calls after opening had stabilized and that the facility’s administrative staff had been responsive.
Trustees praised the service as a vital community resource and asked about protocols for guests who refuse to leave; Kenneth Young representatives said engagement and established entry/agreements reduce those incidents and staff would call EMS when medical care is required. The board voted to waive the second reading and adopt the conditional‑use ordinance; roll call recorded unanimous approval.
The conditional use includes detailed operational conditions derived from the petitioner’s program manual, a requirement that any changes to the manual be submitted to the village for review, and annual reporting requirements.
