ZBA Hearing - July 29, 2026

where would the office i mean the workers have their space well and then which bedroom is the

biggest bedroom because we couldn't see any kind of like measurements yeah so and just correct me

if i'm wrong uh donnell you don't have a space for them so to speak you have a living area for them

for the for the employee that's going to be staying there is that correct yes

while you're at what would the basement be used for the basement would be for laundry and storage

yeah i represent it to the board there's no living down there right no and and there's a

washer and dryer but and there's a bathroom down there too right yes but you don't expect to

actually put a bedroom down there no or any living area down there no all right

so i would assume that this bedroom is the biggest one right here and i'm putting a circle around

yes and you i think you stated during your testimony i can i can tell you i can tell you

that's not true the biggest bedroom is the one in the front that's the biggest bedroom

that's the biggest bedroom how about this one which which which one do you envision

how about this one which which which one do you envision i again

again maybe i thought that was the biggest bedroom yeah only because that's best because

your drawings are never the scale yeah well i'm not an architect so which which of the three

bedrooms that my team tried to draw is the biggest bedroom and that you envision will be used as the

dual for the dual for two people the bottom one right here yes okay and I

think you say that during your testimony that was approximately 120 square feet

yes and meet the requirements thank you yeah that's right because there are

requirements in terms of occupancy if you have multiple individuals how big the

bedroom had to be yes and you can't even be approved unless inspections are made

All right. Thank you. So on this drawing, and at least you put some furniture in there, Mike, you put some furniture in there for you. They may not be on scale, but there's furniture. So where do you envision your work or to have some space to maybe fill out some documents or where in this space?

Well, I was going to include all that in the basement.

Other questions?

Questions from our attorney?

No questions at this time.

Questions or comments from the virtual audience?

Yes, there's a Sherry Vaughn with the hand up,

will be allowed to speak.

Good afternoon.

It's so morning, it's so morning.

Sherry Vaughn, can you unmute yourself?

Sherry Vaughn. Hi Sherry. Do you still mute it? Sure. Okay. Can you hear me now? I can most

certainly. Hi. Good morning everyone. Thank you. It's almost afternoon but good morning. Oh good

afternoon. Could you please state your name and spell it for the stenographer. My name is Sherry

vaughn s-h-e-r-r-y my last name is vaughn v as in victor a-u-g-h-a-n do you swear or affirm to

tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth i do i do thank you are you a neighbor

no actually i am a um i sit on the board for the 44th ward and i am executive board member

i was there at the meeting so i just wanted to just clarify a few things that i heard at the

meeting that may be a little different than what is being presented today okay go ahead um during

the meeting i we captured that there would only be three um participants or clients at the meet

at the house because there was only three bedrooms to accommodate um the clients so i just wanted to

make sure that i called that out just to make sure because when we approved the application

and we did endorse or support it but we again stated that it would be three applicants or

three clients and then Mr. Smith did clarify that his occupant is a licensed practical nursing so

that was great and then the only thing that I had and he did specify he clarified that as far as the

adults they they would be only occupied by adults i think he said 30 and above because i think

earlier the attorney said a minor and i know we didn't discuss that during our rco meeting

so those were just the three things that i just wanted to call out and thank you do you have

anything you want to yeah i mean as far as the third item again i i that's why i wanted to get

mr hamilton right here and so i didn't want to miss anything as far as the first item mr goldberg

for my team handle the community meeting so i can't speak to like was it presented that there

would only be three individual uh occupants in there i did mention three bedrooms um if i

excluded the part where it could potentially be four i apologize that's potentially from a shared

room spacing but if that is not okay then i can just you can just keep it and limit it to three

Yeah, I think the reason, again, when I, you know, preferred Mr. Hamilton, it was more so to give the optionality to do two individuals in one bedroom, just from an affordability standpoint.

But, you know, we leave it to the discretion of the board regarding that.

All right. Thank you.

I would just, again, do you want to hear from the building?

You want to bring him up? Sure.

Yeah, just to confirm the five-year term.

Bring him up.

Mr. Hamilton?

Thank you, guys.

thank you guys thank you and these will be both men and women are just one one gender um

Thank you.

And these will be both men.

you can tell me and i can tell them because you're not oh you can just say here

it can be men and women but the shared spacing if approved will just be of the same gender

All right. Mr. Hamilton, why don't you state your name for the record?

Donald Hamilton, first name D-O-N-A-L-D, last name Hamilton, H-A-M-I-L-T-O-N.

Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?

Yes, sir.

Yes, Mr. Hamilton, I made a representation to the board that I heard you state to your son who would also be your tenant.

that you're in agreement to a five-year term

from the date of today's hearing for this facility.

Is that correct?

Yes, sir, as long as he wants,

you know, because my son is really trying

to do something positive in life, so.

And also, one thing I want to mention-

You know what, I cannot hear him.

I cannot hear him.

One more thing, one thing my son did not,

you know, he's such a good kid, trying kid, where-

still can't still can't i don't know is the mic on is it on such a good kid where okay

i just give him the lead way because i see that he's ambitious and he's trying so when it comes

to the office i have 5027 ogden which is open i i don't rent my place i can't bother with the rent

the problems and whatever so he can utilize 5027 as an office where he can deal with the

with the um the workers yeah you know but he is he's not that experienced so i'm trying to help

him you know oh i and we appreciate that i think the board has to hear like for this property only

right you know i give my son a hundred percent lead way because he's very ambitious he's trying

as a young man he's not the street type you know as like myself so well i don't think you're street

gentlemen there okay thank you for your testimony thank you so much planning commission

jonathan goings planning commission uh the comprehensive plan recommends no change to the

rsa5 residential single family zoning at this location the proposed use should not cause

adverse impacts beyond what would normally be expected therefore the city planning commission

recommends that the special exception be granted right so alan we're going to vote on this next

wednesday right i want to get a chance to talk to the board about how many people we think is

appropriate saying like i just don't want to i i mean i know where i stand but yeah see where

everybody else stands right i appreciate it we'll do that at 9 30 on the 5th of august correct the

5th of August. Okay. All right. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Um, is there anyone in the

audience whose case has not been called? I see no handshare. Thank you, everybody. See everybody

at 2 p.m. Thanks. You start when you're ready.

Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Bill Bergman. I will be chairing this meeting of the Zoning Board of Adjustment. With me is our Vice Chair, Tanetta Graham.

Present, Mr. Chairman.

Board Member, Michael Johns.

Present, Mr. Chairman.

Taya Nguyen.

Present, Mr. Chairman.

And Ryan McAdams.

Present, Mr. Chairman.

Also, here is our Attorney, Lynn Reuter-Huber, and also our ZBA Director, Ian Haggerty, and our Board Administrator, Lakeisha Dandy.

this hearing is being recorded and will be posted on the zba website

by participating you consent to be recorded this is an in-person meeting with remote participation

whether in person or on zoom if you're called to speak please state your name

spell it and also wait to be sworn in once you're sworn in each time you testify

please start by stating your name to enter an appearance enter the property address into your

zoom webinar speak with a staff member call this ebay office by the close of business tomorrow

call 215-686-2429 and provide your name email and the address of the property in question

provide your name email and the address of the property in question for remote

attendance raise your virtual hand when directed when we call on you to speak

please click the join as a panelist button use the Q&A only from for

procedural issues do not talk about the case itself if you're if you're joining

by phone press star nine to raise your hand and star six to unmute in person attendees if testifying

get close to the mic so that all attendees and also the court reporter can hear you

no talking eating or drinking during the hearing aggressive behavior will not be tolerated

in an emergency foul staff instructions also the exit is the two double doors in the rear

and there's the stairs are to the left if we evacuate please go to love park and wait for us

there so that we can account for you so let's look at our schedule for this afternoon

number 11 mi 2026 001 548 1201 to 11 east erie avenue that case is continued until 11 18 2026

and also

okay

no no no no no no no no no no we're not please talk to our person okay okay all right we're gonna

a lot sir sir you

all right you have to leave sir

we're moving forward you have to leave

we have two cases here mi2026 000198 2401 north dover

and also mi2026 0002002416 north dover we have a request from the

RCO for a continuance and also from the council member's office. And also there's an attorney,

Rachel Pritzker, who represents PHA. Ms. Pritzker, could you come on, please?

Good afternoon, Chair. This is Jasmine, and I will be your co-host for this afternoon session.

Rachel Pritzker will be promoted to panelists.

Okay. Is there anyone from the council person's office?

i see no other hands up at this time is there anyone who is the head of the rco

who from the rco wants to speak come on come on yeah why don't you sit there

wait until we get the council

Colin, just sit in the audience. I'll give you a chance when you want. Sit up front here and then I'll have you testify. Okay.

Rachel?

Yes.

All right. Rachel, could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer?

Sure. Rachel, R-A-C-H-A-E-L, Pritzker, P-R-I-T-Z-K-E-R.

Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?

Yes.

Could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer?

odessa tate o-d-e s-s-a t-a-t-e you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth

nothing but the truth i do colin why don't you sit there

good afternoon colin good afternoon chair would you please state your name and spell

for the stenographer yes sir it's conlan c-o-n-l-a-n crosley c-r-o-s-l-e-y right

But Dessa, we're going to start with you. What's your reason for a continuance?

Thank you. So, good afternoon, members of the board.

I support the development of affordable housing in our community.

However, I respectfully request that the board continue this hearing because the community engagement process remains incomplete.

During the first continuance, our organization made it clear that we were not opposed to this project.

Rather, we requested additional time so that PHA and the community could continue discussions regarding outstanding concerns.

could continue discussions regarding outstanding concerns phas council rachel pritzer supported

PHA's council...

that continuance and represented that pha will return to the community for those discussions

the april 29th 2026 registered community organization meeting demonstrates that

significant issues remained unresolved during that meeting pha acknowledged concerns regarding trash

management property management and neighborhood conditions PHA stated that

these issues required additional work that it would improve its plans develop

better management strategies and return with additional information when X to

manage the surrounding properties PHA's representative acknowledged that he did

not know whether management was handled internally or externally at the

conclusion of the meeting it was represented that there would be a

follow-up discussion to address the community's outstanding concerns. I

stated on the record that there would be a follow-up meeting and no objection was

raised. PHA likewise represented that it would take the community's concerns back

to its office, develop solutions, and return with additional information. That

follow-up meeting never occurred before the application returned to the board.

beyond the RCO meeting the broader community engagement process also

remained incomplete throughout this process all in the family continued

discussions with PHA regarding Village Event Park a community project our

organization has spent years planning fundraising and developing alongside this

redevelopment those discussions remain unresolved all in the family currently

has 73 000 committed to the project and pha has verbally committed 250 000 yet despite discussions

dating back to 2025 there is still no written agreement defining our role or memorializing pha's

commitments pha has repeatedly requested our letter of support for this zoning application

we have consistently explained that we cannot responsibly provide that support until the

community discussions are completed and PHA's commitments are reduced to

writing our permit our position has remained consistent we do not oppose the

housing development we simply believe that meaningful community engagement

requires more than holding a public meeting it requires following three

through all the commitments made to the community and completing the discussions

that were left open that includes returning to address the concerns raised

during the RCO meeting and finalizing the outstanding commitments regarding Village

Event Park for those reasons I respectfully request that the board

continue this hearing until the community engagement process has been

completed the promise follow-up meeting has occurred and the commitments made