Damen Avenue is under zoning review north of Chicago Avenue. East Village Association membership meeting Jan. 10. 2024 at Roots West Town, 1924 W. Chicago Ave., Neal McKnight presiding Damen Avenue's strip-mall zoning does not reflect the apartments and small shops on East Village's western border. How can EVA support a new vision? EVA's January meeting continued a discussion of Damen Avenue zoning. Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th) has encouraged a proactive zoning review for the former 2nd Ward stretch. A 2019 plan fizzled for a tavern at at 820 N. Damen Ave. surrounded by apartments. Renovation of the former Grace Auto Body stopped at least six months ago. EVA board member Neal McKnight suggested downzoning Damen from Chicago to Division while extending the current Ukrainian Village and East Village landmark districts. Both commercial and residential zoning for Damen had advocates in the January member disucssion. McKnight summarized November's zoning discussion ...

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi East Village Association membership meeting Aug. 2, 2021, Homestead at Roots Pizza, 1924 W. Chicago Ave. Presiding: Neal McKnight Aug. 23 is the deadline for East Village residents to appeal tax assessments. Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi led an Aug. 2 Facebook Live session on the process before 75 assembled EVA members at this month's meeting. "No one understands property taxes," Kaegi said, even people who have been in government or real estate their whole lives. "It might be more complex by design." The assessor's job is to take the bias out of the property values used on tax bills. The question is whether the first-term assessor is getting it right. Homeowners need to file an online appeal to make their case for a lower assessment. Kaegi contends the county's new algorithm, taking 40 different factors into account, is much more accurate for less expensive properties, but admits that 250 people trying...

East Village Association membership meeting Dec. 3, 2018, Happy Village, 1059 N. Wolcott Ave. Presiding: Michael VanDam, president Even small condo boards shouldn't let one person do all the work, says Michael Pyrchalla of Integrity Law Group. The real estate lawyer shared best practices for boards in a presentation to East Village Association members. Condo rules can be formal or informal, but boards should have a way to amend them--preferably simply requiring a majority vote. A big job is to plan for future repairs, and keeping owners up to date on assessments to provide for them. "You are stuck from the moment you own to pay assessments," Pyrchalla says. A straightforward way to predict spending over 15 to 30 years is with a reserve study, which can cost as little as $500. The Jan. 7 meeting at Happy Village will feature updates on the Chicago Avenue repairs, the city's upgraded 311 work request system, and a vote to ease EVA voting restrictions .