Berwyn renews tie with housing agency

[Felix Greco]

By Joseph Ruzich | Special to the Tribune
Despite a bumpy first year, Berwyn officials have renewed a contract with a housing agency that promotes racially diverse communities and helps apartment-seekers find units.

Aldermen voted 7-1 at this week's City Council meeting to approve a 2008 contract with the Oak Park Regional Housing Center. The city will pay the housing center $250,000 to run the program that started in August.

The center's focus is to educate people about the benefits of living in a racially diverse community, then offer clients apartment listings in those areas. Berwyn officials hope the program will make the city's housing stock more marketable.

Rob Breymaier, executive director of the Oak Park/Berwyn Regional Housing Center, told the board he is optimistic and believes the program will do better this year. He said last year's goals of placing 100 people weren't up to par, with the agency placing only about 20 people into apartments around the city.



He said a total of 487 people called or stopped by the new Berwyn Housing Center office at 3239 S. Grove Ave.

"It was tough last year," Breymaier said. "We started out at the slowest part of the season. Not to mention, people were just becoming familiar with the Berwyn Housing Center."

The center plans to be more aggressive this summer and will take out more advertisements and attend festivals throughout the Chicago area.

"I was concerned about the goals," said Berwyn Mayor Michael O'Connor. "But it's going to take some time. We need to get the housing center's name out there."

O'Connor also hopes the city's new advertisement campaign, which features billboards promoting the suburb, will lure more people to the city and the center.



This is all Mr. Ruzich got out of the City Council meeting on Tuesday? 

[Matryoshka]

By Joseph Ruzich | Special to the Tribune

O'Connor also hopes the city's new advertisement campaign, which features billboards promoting the suburb, will lure more people to the city and the center.

With the parking problems on my block being the way they are, looks as though Berwyn needs to lure more people outta this city