We are proud to announce that limited slots are available for assistance in the Homes for a Changing Region program. Homes helps municipalities identify solutions their most pressing housing challenges, create a balanced mix of housing types, and serve the needs of multiple generations of residents and workers. Homes is a partnership between the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and is supported by the Illinois Housing Development Authority.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent housing downturn have created uncertainty in local housing markets. Rising interest rates and home prices have reduced community affordability, on top of housing issues for renters and homeowners during the COVID-19 emergency. The Homes team will help you understand the current state of your market. We use data, regional expertise, and case studies from peer communities to identify solutions to challenges that include:
- Community affordability amid sudden increases in local home prices and in interest rates;
- Ensuring maintenance and preservation of multifamily rental buildings;
- The need to support seniors aging-in-place and potentially isolated in their homes; and/or
- Increasing the supply of housing options, such as starter homes or the “missing middle”.
Homes will provide fast and highly targeted technical assistance through a housing needs assessment, discussion of local stakeholders, panel of housing experts, and a final action plan. At the end of the process, the team will identify best practice actions and resources to fund implementation. This year, the assistance includes a free community survey, which will help municipalities identify emerging housing issues in this time of market uncertainty.
Assistance is free. However, our slots for 2023 are very limited. Please fill out the application at this link by Friday, November 4 to be considered for this free assistance. For more information, please contact Kyle Smith at ksmith@mayorscaucus.org.
