It is important to maintain a balanced supply of owner-occupied and rental housing distributed throughout the region. Housing plays an integral role in the lives of residents, and CMAP engages in many local planning and policy analysis efforts around this important topic.
ON TO 2050 emphasizes the importance of planning for a range of housing options in regionally and locally appropriate ways. Affordable housing options, particularly rental options, are not available in all parts of the region, which creates a systemic imbalance between job centers and where people live. The region's demographics are expected to shift substantially over the next three decades, specifically the elderly and immigrant populations, which presents an additional set of challenges in planning for future housing needs. Specifically, ON TO 2050 recommends CMAP and other regional partners:
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Provide assistance in planning for a range of housing options.
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Encourage the formation of formal collaborative planning efforts.
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Facilitate communications between communities facing similar challenges.
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Promote housing affordability near transit.
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Target housing program to rehabilitation in areas with transit access.
To support CMAP's housing initiatives and work plan, the Housing Committee provides advisory input to the CMAP board on proposed regional plans, projects, and policies. The committee, comprised of public and private sector housing experts from across the region, meets the third Thursday of every month at 9 a.m. at CMAP offices.