BEDS shelter approved by La Grange Village Board for Ogden, East avenues

LA GRANGE – After several hours of deliberations, questions and public comments the La Grange Board of Trustees unanimously approved a proposed development for a BEDS Plus Care facility for a vacant lot at 9601 E. Ogden Avenue.

The approval at Monday night’s meeting included additional amendments. The amendments include screenings for the 20 residents BEDS plans to house within their new facility, as well as stipulations barring felons, sex offenders and those with gang affiliation for housing.

BEDS also will be required to obtain 75 percent of the funding for the facility within 18 months and break ground for construction within the next 12 months.

According to Tina Rounds, executive director of BEDS, the nonprofit group will be able to honor all of the requests by the village board.

Pending their final vote, members of the board sought to calm the notion that the homeless facility would cause an increase in crime in the neighborhood near the facility.

“These are people,” trustee Bill Holder said. “And most don’t want to sit in a dark corner. The homeless are not a burden to our police or our fire department.”

For trustee Mark Kuchler, the facility could be seen as an asset to La Grange.

“BEDS in no way increases crime,” Kuchler said. “This facility could lower crime. If we say no to BEDS, who do we say yes to?”

Still, some members of the public were against the construction of the homeless facility. Some of those who spoke at Monday’s meeting said they felt it was unfair for their neighborhood to house the shelter and they were being unfairly judged for raising an objection.

“We have been ignored for decades,” said Kim Mosley, who lives on Washington Avenue near the development site. “How about take those funds and help East La Grange?”

The Rev. David Hulse of Grace Lutheran Church, a vocal supporter of BEDS, said the matter was about finally putting a long vacant area to use.

“[La Grange] is not a fiefdom,” Hulse said. “We are one La Grange. How many more decades will we approve a vacant lot? [The facility] has to go somewhere and it’s going to be in someone’s backyard.”

Trustee Jeff Nowak said after hearing both sides of the argument for so long, he believes all parties share the same concern for the village.

“There are really good people on both sides of this issues,” Nowak said. “The opponents are not immoral. Our history comes from our social service [and] I believe it’s best for our community to break the chain of homelessness.”

Though he did not take part in the final vote, Village President Thomas Livingston said both BEDS and the East La Grange neighborhood are important parts to the village.

“BEDS is a shock absorber for the community,” Livingston said. “[And] we have work to do with the [residents of the] east side of La Grange. You can only start a project once. We deserve the right to get it right.”