Senior Shared Housing Facility Recommended for Approval in Crete Township

Will County Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting | October 21, 2025

Article Summary: The Will County Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended approval for a special use permit that would allow a single-family home in Crete Township to be converted into a shared living facility for up to four seniors. The proposal for the property on South Kings Road utilizes a recent county ordinance change allowing for uses “similar or compatible” to those already permitted.

Crete Township Senior Housing Key Points:

• Project: A special use permit to operate a group care home for a maximum of six residents in a property currently zoned for single-family residential use. The applicant plans to house up to four seniors.

• Location: The 1,743-square-foot home is on a 2.15-acre lot at 24606 S Kings Road in Crete Township.

• Conditions: Approval is recommended with conditions that the operator obtains an Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) license, and that the Crete Township Fire Department be notified of any health and safety issues from the licensing process.

JOLIET, IL – A proposal to convert a house in Crete Township into a shared living residence for up to four seniors received a favorable recommendation from the Will County Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday, October 21, 2025.

Applicant Lavette Oneal-Reese requested a special use permit to operate a group care home for up to six residents at 24606 S Kings Road. The proposal seeks to use the property as a “senior shared housing” facility, catering to seniors over 55 who require assistance with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and medication management but do not need full nursing home care. The applicant, owner of Reif Residences Assisted Living Facility, stated a caregiver would be on-site 24/7.

The request relies on a 2023 text amendment to the county zoning ordinance that allows applicants to seek a special use permit for a use that is “similar or compatible” to one already permitted. A group care home with six or fewer residents is a permitted use in the R-2 single-family residential district, but the proposed senior housing model is not explicitly defined in the ordinance.

The 1,743-square-foot home has three bedrooms, which the applicant stated would house a total of four residents, meeting the county’s per-occupant space requirements.

The Crete Township Plan Commission reviewed the proposal and supported it on the condition that the applicant becomes fully licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) before the special use permit is approved. The Crete Township Fire District also submitted comments requiring that both a fire alarm and a sprinkler system be installed.

County staff recommended approval with five conditions, including that the special use permit not be transferable to future owners and that the applicant adhere to all Will County Health Department requirements.