In Round Lake, early engagement gave Illinois REALTORS® Governmental Affairs Director (GAD) Michael Dobrow an opportunity to influence the village’s review of its impact fee structure.

After the mayor’s initial outreach, Dobrow raised concerns about excessive or outdated impact fees increasing housing costs and discouraging development. He remained engaged with the mayor and trustees as four competing proposals emerged.

When the lowest-cost alternative lacked sufficient board support, Dobrow and local REALTOR® leaders focused on preventing two significantly more expensive options from advancing.

The village board ultimately selected an option which modernized demographic and land-value assumptions, eliminated the separate school capital fee and produced the lowest fees for single-family development among the alternatives. While it included a small multifamily increase that will warrant monitoring, it avoided substantially larger increases contemplated under other proposals.

Just as importantly, REALTORS® were invited into the discussion early, allowing the association to serve as a partner in developing policy rather than responding after decisions had already been made.