Relocating for job where to live with family (Chicago, Arlington Heights: section 8, best suburbs)

[Hwebber]

Hello,

My husband is looking at taking a job in a hotel in the gold coast neighborhood of North Chicago. We need advice as to where to live. Here are some factors:

We have three children so schools are very important.

We would like to spend up to $2300 on a rental.

My husband would like a commute that is relatively painless, train access would be great, although it looks like the metra does not stop close to where he would be working...

We do not want to live anywhere where parking is an issue or houses are right on top of each other

Close to stores such as Trader Joes. I also like a town with a downtown of its own.

Nice parks and natural setting would be also nice.

We are looking at Western suburbs or Northern. I really like Wheaton, but he is concerned it would be too far.

Is there such a place? We are moving from Rochester Hills, Michigan and literally have deer in our backyard but are also close to shopping and expressways, for reference of what we like.

Thanks for your help!

[chisub]

That's a tricky one b/c the train isn't that close and parking isn't that great either. Do you know if he'll have access to easy/cheap parking near work?

[chet everett]

Firstly do not confuse the SUBURB of "North Chicago" (which is largely an undesirable area that is dominated by the presence of Great Lakes Naval Training Station for recruits and the kinds of businesses they might patronize...) with the Gold Coast section of Chicago which is on the "north side" of Chicago's Loop / central business district.

Secondly one might be able to get from the Western Suburbs to a job in the Gold Coast via Metra commuter rail lines BUT the fastest express service is set up for the "normal" in-to-the-city-in-the-AM and out in the evening work routine. Those trains can get you to Union Station in about 20 minutes from some suburbs and then you could spend about 10-15 minutes getting to the Gold Coast... If the hotel job requires any significant off hours travel it might make more sense to consider driving. It is entirely possible to make it to the Gold Coast from a suburb like La Grange, which is less than 20 miles from the Gold Coast, in under 30 minutes OFF PEAK. http://goo.gl/maps/GZf7 La Grange has one of the best "downtowns of its own" and even has a convenient Trader Joe's that is walkable FROM THE METRA stop, nice parks, a natural setting of Forest Preserves nearby, schools that are quite good, nearby shopping, good access to expressways and a whole lot of other things that make it a top choice for families.

There is, of course A CATCH (or two or so...) . To begin with, $2300 for a RENTAL big enough for a family with three kinds is probably going to be VERY hard to find. The general lot size and house spacing in most parts of La Grange is probably closer to what most people associate with "a city" than the wide open boom town suburbs, but not all that different than different than the traditional suburbs of Detroit, though the mix of employment in the Chicago region leads to SIGNFICANTLY higher housing costs: //www.city-data.com/city/Roches...-Michigan.html vs //www.city-data.com/city/La-Grange-Illinois.html

I know others will recommend towns like Evanston and maybe Oak Park, but honestly for what you are looking for you won't find a significantly better value in any of the desirable parts of those towns (and both have significantly more run down/ crime plagued area that'll you need to be savvy about avoiding vs La Grange which is mostly uniformly safe / desirable...) and only a little bit of an advantage for commute via CTA...

[barish1]

Kildeer area in the Northwest Suburbs is known for being a community in a natural setting surrounded by wetlands, ponds, woods, deer and many other animals. It has been voted one of the best suburbs to live in because of the schools, services, transportation and crime. There are many options for commuting by train from Barrington or Palatine.

[linicx]

The Gold Coast is a high dollar area. No place in America is entirely crime free. Wilmette and Winnetka are two the most exclusive, non-integrated, upscale enclaves in the entire Chicago area. One is listed as one of 25 most exclusive enclaves in America. The average income exceeds $200,000 annually.

Diverisity, integration and location has its own set of issues. Oak Park is diverse in its culture, racial make-up, and its religions; and it is integrated. It is less than 10 miles to the Loop. Trader Joe's anchors the new Oak Park Place Apartments; it offers secured parking. OP offers CTA, bus, taxi, limo and zip car. Parking in Chicago can be an expensive pain if hubby can't park at the hotel. It could be as much as $200 per mo., or more. Paking on Oak Park streets can be an experience too. Off the street, covered and/or secure is always better.

You'll find good schools, several parks, a great library system, a walkable downtown, restaurants, tons of character, mature trees and green yards, in Oak Park. And you will probably spend every bit of the $2300 and maybe more for rent. It is not rare for what you look for. It is a very desirable address where professionals live with families. You might even rub elbows with a millionaire bachelorette.

The downside is unless you buy a mansion you probably will not have the open space you seek. There are three Section 8 apartments reserved for Elderly and Disabled. All cities in Illinois have Sec 8 housing. Crime is probably no worse in any other Village or town with a population of over 50,000. The issue with Oak Park is its Chicago Border better known as Austin Boulevard. It is generally a very undesirable area you do no want to live near, and you do not have to live there. The Oak Park Police Department seems to do a pretty good job of keeping the nonsense under conrol.

Oak Park has won several awards in the past. This year is was voted the Best Suburb in The Chicago Reader Poll. Some claim the "ballots boxes" were stuffed. There are several members in the forum who live in Oak Park who will be glad to help you. I think you will be quite pleased at what you find. Here is a link or two...

Oak Park—20 Best Towns and Neighborhoods in Chicago and the Suburbs - Chicago magazine - April 2010 - Chicago

The Oak Park Regonal Housing Center is a non-profit that has been in existence since 1972. Its objective is to help new residents find an apartment or house. It's been criticized for being dated and of placing new residents in diverse areas. If you don't want mixed race or a gay couple with children living near yo, it would probably be unwise to contact the center. Nevertheless its website will tell you more about Oak Park. You can call or leave a message.

Oak Park Regional Housing Center

In any case, Welcome to Illinois and your new home.



.

[chet everett]

Moderator: Sadly, this Sec. 8 program closed in 2004.

I would question the value that is provided to the OP and others like that are relocating to the area for presesumably good paying jobs when the majority of information at the OPHA site is about Section 8 vouchers -- Housing Choice Vouchers

[chitownperson]

As for western suburbs with the criteria the OP has listed, Oak Park DOES fit the bill pretty well. As for safety in Oak Park, it has a lower crime rate than Linclon Park, one of the most desirable areas of Chicago. Most crimes are crimes of opportunity... Someone gets their iPod stolen cause they left if on their car seat with the car door unlocked... We can spend all day nit picking at the percieved cons of some areas, and if so we could start looking at the alarming epedemic of Heroin use amoungst upper middleclass white school children in some of the further out western suburbs that were once considered to be void of the troubles found in the city. There are many reasons why many affluent families continually move into Oak Park, and one of the reasons is because they feel comfortable having their kids bike around the areas and play on the front lawn. Families in Oak Park wouldn't drop hundreds of thousands, to over a million, dollars in places they don't think their kids will be safe in.

Oak Park has good education for students, a Metra line inside and another Metra a stone throws away outside its border and 2 cta lines. It has a very active downtown with a host of great eateries, and award winning library with an additional 2 branches servicing further northern and southern sides. There are a large amount of Park district activities, a cinema, theatres, museums... Its got very diverse architetural styles, and giant mature trees that conopy many streets. It's curturally and racially diverse and integrated, with lots of different religions, churches, temples... And the area continually gets ranked amongst the best in the nation, recently being voted the best suburb in Chicago for 2012 in a poll in the Chi Reader. Named one of the 20 best towns and neighbourhoods in Chicago by Chicago mag. Named one of the top 10 neighbourhoods in the nation by the American Planning association etc, etc...

OP, as a resident, and as a person who also did a lot of research in this village and towns near by when i was looking to move, and as a person who is very cocerned about my young ones safety and education, I'd urge you to do research on the place you intend to live in, talk to residents, drive around etc... Talk to people who actually know about the place through actual experience of living in the place.

[oakparkdude]

Given that they like Rochester Hills, a suburb with a population density of 2000/sq mile, its very unlikely that Oak Park, a suburb of 11000 people/sq mile is exactly what they are looking for. That being said, given the commuting constrants, and given how much larger Chicagoland is compared to Metro Detroit, they will probably have to compromise a little bit.

[linicx]

Hwebber, when the subject of Oak Park comes up in forums there is always a doomsday naysayer that points out the sky is falling. Oak Park is too liberal, too conservative or not enough of either. It has too many of the right/wrong churches. It has too many or not enough of the right/wrong races. It has too much crime, too many Sec 8 residents or not enough of either. It is not safe to bike to work, yet some do it everyday. Trains will stop doctors from reaching the hospital at Maywood, yet doctors are not stopped by trains.

The fact is, doctors, lawyers, fund managers, bankers, business owners, younger and older professionals, wealthy bachelors, and families are not jumping ship or leaving in droves because OP is is crime ridden, has Sec 8 housing, or houses are de-valued. Just recently an Chicago anchor moved to New York and sold her home at a tidy profit. The truth is there are public, private, Jewish, Catholic, and other religious K-12 schools in Oak park. You do not have to drive to Chicago for Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, a selection of cheese, a good book , good food, good entertainment or or a dairy. You will have to drive if you want a fur coat, skyscrapers, Costco or Cosco products. Oak Park is not perfect. It is not Utopia or a panacea for all social ills. Oak Park is a very decent place to raise a family, and it does offer many of the same services Chicago offers to its residents.

Oak Park may be too crowded for you. In the immediate Chicago area longer travel times, and lack of conveniences, is the trade-off, for smaller communities, personal space, and large yards. Look in Gurnee, Libertyville, Sugar Grove, Monee and possibly Arlington Heights in the Greater Chicagoland area for space and large lots similar to these.

http://www.propertiesforhorses.com/i...5&b=217&page=1

Arlington Heights is well known for its race track and equestrian facilities. It is a very nice community that may or may not have homes with large lots. This is another one of the suburbs where the naysayesr think the sky is falling for the same reasons as Oak Park. It is not close to the Gold Coast, either.

[chitownperson]

Oakparkdude,

It does seem like the OP may need to make some adjustments to the exact wish list, but I also think that it's important they get an accurate view of Oak Park from people that know, or have bothered to research the place throughly, then they can make an informed decission about what's most important to them.