Clarendon Hills resident Goss on Pritzker housing proposal: 'Local zoning decisions should remain in the hands of local communities'
Angela Goss, founder of Angela Makeup Chicago and a Clarendon Hills resident, said Gov. J.B. Pritzker's push to override local zoning laws and force subsidized housing into suburban communities across Illinois is the wrong approach to addressing the state's housing challenges.
"Local zoning decisions should remain in the hands of local communities, not state politicians," Goss told the DuPage Policy Journal. "I am deeply concerned about proposals supported by Gov. J.B. Pritzker that would allow the state to override local zoning laws to expand subsidized housing programs such as the Housing Choice Voucher Program."
Pritzker's proposal would require every suburb to allow unlimited taxpayer-subsidized Section 8 and low-income apartment buildings on virtually any residential lot, sweeping aside long-standing local zoning protections.
The plan would also direct an additional $100 million in taxpayer funding to the Illinois Housing Development Authority to expand subsidized apartment construction, mandate that communities accept state-backed housing placements for residents with serious mental illness, and override local zoning authority in favor of a centralized, state-driven housing agenda.
Goss acknowledged housing affordability as a real issue but argued the governor's approach is misguided.
"While affordable housing is an important issue, removing zoning authority from local communities is not the right solution," she said. "Local governments are far better positioned to understand their infrastructure, schools, public safety needs, and long-term development plans. When the state overrides these decisions, it undermines the ability of residents and local officials to guide the future of their neighborhoods."
Illinois homeowners already face the highest property tax rate in the nation, and opponents argue the proposal amounts to a top-down ideological shift funded by taxpayers and imposed on communities without their consent.
The Heritage Foundation has long warned that pushing federally subsidized housing into suburbs risks higher taxpayer costs and the spread of urban housing challenges into residential communities.
Goss said she opposes state-mandated housing developments being forced on communities and called for a different approach.
"I oppose mandated subsidized housing developments being forced into communities through state intervention," she said. "Housing policy should focus on strengthening local economies, creating jobs, and encouraging responsible development rather than imposing one-size-fits-all mandates from Springfield."
The concerns extend beyond zoning. Current federal rules also allow mixed-status households that include illegal immigrants to qualify for subsidized housing, according to the New York Post.
Recent HUD audits have uncovered billions of dollars in rental assistance paid to deceased, ineligible or non-citizen Section 8 recipients.
Goss raised concerns about what the proposal could mean for homeowners who have spent years building equity in their properties.
"Policies that disregard local planning can also raise concerns about property values and community stability," she said. "Many homeowners have invested their life savings into their homes and neighborhoods, and they deserve to have a voice in major changes that could affect those investments."
The proposal has also drawn attention to developers aligned with the push. The Village of Glen Ellyn sold land to Full Circle Communities, which is behind a controversial subsidized housing project on Roosevelt Road.
The developer has promoted programming centered on "health equity," "racial equity," and "trauma-informed services," with a focus on LGBT youth and young adults of color. That project has received direct support from U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., a self-described democratic socialist and member of the progressive Squad who has actively backed expanding Section 8 and public housing in suburban areas. Ramirez represents Illinois' 3rd Congressional District, which includes several suburban communities.
Critics warn Illinois could follow the path of New York City, where housing activist Cea Weaver, appointed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani to lead the city's Office to Protect Tenants, labeled private property a "weapon of white supremacy" and advocated seizing buildings to prioritize tenants.
Since then, New York City has proposed steep property tax hikes, rent freezes, and measures giving select nonprofits first rights to purchase private residential buildings, putting small property owners at risk of foreclosure or bankruptcy.
Goss said ultimately the authority to shape neighborhoods must stay with the people who live in them.
"Ultimately, zoning authority should remain with local communities," she said. "Residents elect local leaders to represent their interests and to make thoughtful decisions about growth and development. The state should support communities in addressing housing challenges, not override them."
Goss is the founder of Angela Makeup Chicago, a bridal and special events makeup studio based in Clarendon Hills. She studied at DePaul University and has operated her business since 2004, specializing in bridal makeup, eyelash extensions, and hair services.