Pursuing Regional Coordination of the Housing Choice Voucher Program
While thousands of people in Illinois sit on Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waiting lists for rental options they can afford, both the regional public housing authorities (PHAs) managing these lists and the households themselves struggle to find good housing opportunities near jobs and transit. Numerous barriers – ranging from community perception to federal regulations – interfere with the housing authorities’ ability to work with local communities to meet this demand. In addition to advocating for needed policy change, MPC and partners have created several pilot efforts to demonstrate that these political and technical barriers can be overcome, and to provide more people with access to quality homes:
Please visit the Regional Housing Initiative webpage to download application and background material.
Articles
- Some are calling new “PETRA Bill” the most aggressive housing proposal since the initial Housing Act of 1937
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- The U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) currently provides deep rental assistance to more than 4.6 million households through 13 different programs, each with its own rules, administered by three operating divisions with separate field staff. To simplify this, HUD recently introduced…
Regional and state leaders recognize the first round of Sustainable Communities Initiative funding is only the beginning-
- With little notice and even less wrangling, in March, regional Chicagoland leaders -- in coordination with the state -- responded in a unified voice to a request for comments issued by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on its new Sustainable Communities Initiative. In the…
Tax credits ‘icing on the cake’ for Chicago’s EAH employers-
- As home sales in Chicago begin to pick up, a range of city employers are offering employer-assisted housing (EAH) programs that support their workers’ homeownership goals, boost the housing market, and benefit the companies in the long run.
Through EAH, employers provide assistance to their…
- Regional Housing Initiative offers funding to developers and owners of rental housing in Cook, Lake, McHenry and Will counties
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- A new rolling application process allows developers and owners of affordable housing to submit proposals at any time.
- Federal incentives fueling Illinois progress
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- While social and economic progress never moves as quickly as policy reformers and advocates wish, the State of Illinois’ 2010 Comprehensive Housing Plan underscores how federal incentives can fuel local innovation.
Congratulations are in order for the state and its innovative plan, which…
More related articles »
Multimedia
Map: Interjurisdictional Collaborations-
- As of Oct. 30, 2009, MPC and its partners are actively building several interjurisdictional partnerships throughout northeastern Illinois. Partnerships listed as 'potential' reflect initial conversations with local decision-makers.
- Back to the Drawing Board? Revisiting local housing strategies during the market meltdown
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- Following the dramatic downturn in the housing market, local advocates and policymakers gathered to re-assess the primary housing policy initiatives they relied upon for many years. Suburban workforce housing, the Chicago Housing Authority Plan for Transformation, and employer-assisted housing were…
Housing 1-2-3: A Workbook for Local Officials-
- Publication
- (13 MB)
- February 1, 2008
- Housing 1-2-3 is a step-by-step guidebook designed to make the complex issues of planning, developing, preserving, and managing housing more understandable for municipalities and real estate professionals. The housing market expands and contracts, but the need for a diverse housing stock remains…
Welcome Home: Housing Our Community-
- Publication
- (976 KB)
- September 22, 2005
- Welcome Home: Housing Our Community brings together mayors, developers, residents, and business people to talk about local solutions to housing - a growing crisis in our towns, in our region, and in our state.
This video is intended to help your town begin a constructive dialogue about how best…
Key Findings from the Regional Rental Market Analysis-
- Publication
- (544 KB)
- April 1, 2000
- Regional Rental Market Analysis, an unprecedented analysis, measured 1999 rent and vacancy rates within each of the six metropolitan Chicago counties and provided forecast levels through 2004 and 2009. The analysis showed the overall vacancy rate in the region was an extremely low 4.2 percent.
Key…
More related multimedia »
Links
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
- The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities conducts research and analysis to help shape public debates over proposed budget and tax policies. CBPP’s voucher advocacy on Capital Hill advances many of MPC’s key goals about promoting regional coordination in metropolitan Chicago. More info »
- Housing Choice Partners of Illinois, Inc.
- HCP’s role in the Portability Pilot was to serve as the third-party nonprofit supporting mobility across public housing authority jurisdictions. HCP provides expanded housing choice to low-income families historically living in segregated communities lacking good jobs and good schools. More info »
- Illinois Housing Development Authority’s RHI page
- Developers competing for federal low-income housing tax credits through the Illinois Housing Development Authority may be competitive for extra points if they first secure vouchers through RHI. More info »
- Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Housing Action Agenda
- The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus is a caucus of metropolitan Chicago’s 272 mayors working together to address shared economic development and affordable housing issues and more. Through the Housing Action Agenda, the Mayors Caucus is working to create safe, decent and affordable housing opportunities for all people in every community in the region. More info »
- Regional Housing Initiative
- Funded by a simple conversion of tenant-based housing choice vouchers to project-based funding, the Regional Housing Initiative provides operating subsidies to developers and owners of quality rental housing and is advancing local efforts to integrate housing, job and transportation investments. More info »
More related links »
Collaborators
Partners
Chicago Housing Authority
Cicero Housing Authority
Joliet Housing Authority
Housing Authority of Cook County
Housing Choice Partners
Illinois Housing Development Authority
Lake County Housing Authority
McHenry County Housing Authority
Metropolitan Mayors Caucus
U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
Waukegan Housing Authority
Funders
Bowman C. Lingle Trust
The F.B. Heron Foundation
JPMorgan Chase
The Northern Trust Company
