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:

• Provide assistance in planning for a range of housing options.

• Encourage the formation of formal collaborative planning efforts.

• Facilitate communications between communities facing similar challenges.

• Promote housing affordability near transit.

• 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.

CMAP helps local communities plan for future housing supply and demand through a variety of planning and policy tools, which educate residents and local elected officials about the importance of planning for a range of housing options across the region.  One of these tools is a Homes for a Changing Region plan. Conducted in partnership with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and the Metropolitan Planning Council, the Homes for a Changing Region planning process enables municipal leaders to chart future demand and supply tends for housing in their communities and helps communities develop long-term housing plans. These plans aim to create a balanced mix of housing, serve current and future populations, and enhance livability. Six clusters of communities, comprised of 26 municipalities have participated in the project since 2011.

CMAP works with the Metropolitan Planning Council and nine housing authorities in the region to administer the Regional Housing Initiative. Since 2002, the public housing authorities participating in RHI have pooled a portion of their available rental assistance vouchers to provide long-term support for the rehabilitation or construction of multifamily, affordable rental homes in opportunity communities across the region.

In order to develop resources that meet the needs of municipalities in our region, CMAP developed the Local Ordinances and Toolkits program to help municipalities develop policies that support the goals of ON TO 2050. In 2014, CMAP plans to develop model ordinances for fair housing and aging in place.  With the assistance of municipal officials and local experts, CMAP will deliver a set of guides that describe the process of implementing Fair Housing and Aging in Place municipal policies from study to approval. To support the implementation of these policies, CMAP expects to provide staff resources to several municipalities in the coming years through its Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program.  

CMAP has various Fair Housing resources, including the Fair Housing and Equity Assessment: Metropolitan Chicago (FHEA) report.  Produced in partnership with the Chicago Area Fair Housing Alliance (CAFHA), it serves as a starting point from which to discuss the ramifications of housing inequalities throughout the region.  FHEA analysis concludes that housing continues to be segregated by race in the Chicago region and is having a negative impact on numerous sectors throughout the region. The paper includes a number of strategies that local governments can implement to encourage diversity in communities and invest in disinvested communities.

Renters have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people are struggling to keep up with rent, raising concerns about a wave of evictions in the future. Landlords are struggling with reduced revenue and late payments. The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) is launching a new rental assistance program in the spring of 2021. Municipalities can play an important role by connecting renters and landlords to financial assistance.

On Friday, April 9, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., attendees learned how renters and landlords can connect to available programs. Speakers included Rodrigo Carrillo of IHDA, Esther Salutillo of the village of Mount Prospect, and Stacie Young of The Preservation Compact.

Rental assistance handout