Q: What are the biggest issues related to housing?
Ridler: We need to develop an accurate database of rental housing in Arlington Heights (AH). The village is beginning to collect rental data, so we need to ensure we’re gathering the right information to make informed decisions. This includes an inventory of rental units in AH, rental rates, the number of affordable rental units by location, occupancy and vacancy rates, and waitlists for affordable housing units. This information should be updated annually or twice a year. We could incentivize landlords to provide accurate and updated data through a licensing process. To cover the costs of collecting this data, we could add a fee to the license. There’s a link on the AH village website called "MyHousingSearch" to help people find affordable housing, but the last entry is from 2022. This site desperately needs updating.
Q: Do you have any thoughts on the need for affordable housing?
Ridler: Yes, we absolutely need housing affordability for people of all ages. Young professionals, for example, can’t afford to live in Arlington Heights. I have a daughter who teaches second grade in Palatine, and even she can’t afford to live in AH.
Q: What do you think the government’s role is in addressing housing issues?
Ridler: The mayor needs to strongly support the creation and maintenance of more affordable housing and make that support clear to the public. The mayor and other village leaders should educate citizens on what affordable housing means and why it’s needed in Arlington Heights. Elk Grove provides a good model: their village buys property, creates a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district, and attracts developers that align with their goals. If the Chicago Bears project moves forward, Arlington Heights could purchase land, designate it as a TIF, and build affordable housing in that area.
Q: Currently, Arlington Heights has an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance where new developments must offer 7.5% of their total rental units at affordable rates. Do you have any ideas about other steps we can take to grow affordable housing in our community?
Ridler: The best answer is a collaborative approach to this issue. I see a problem with the current ordinance, where developers can pay fees instead of creating units with affordable rents. I believe developers should be required to build the mandated number of affordable units rather than paying fees to opt out. A collaborative approach with open and effective communication from the start is critical. All key requirements should be discussed and agreed upon upfront to prevent problems from surfacing later in the process, which could cause delays or derail projects entirely.
Q: Some people believe building affordable housing close to their homes will reduce property values and increase the crime rate. How do you view these assumptions?
Ridler: I don’t believe this is true. Communication and education are the keys here, and this should be an ongoing effort. For example, we could create a short "Affordable Housing 101" video and feature it on the village website, with the mayor introducing the topic to show village support. Another idea would be to partner with the Realtor Association for an education session to address these concerns and provide factual information.
Q: Do you have any final words you want to say about affordable housing for all?
Ridler: Support from the mayor and trustees is critical, and their commitment must be clearly communicated to village staff. We need to define priorities, goals, and objectives clearly and create actionable plans to achieve them. I’m solution-oriented and will work collaboratively to enable people to work effectively across all functions. I’m passionate about creating a high-performance, service-oriented culture among all parts of our village government—trustees, staff, commissions, and committees.
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