Affordable
Housing
Leaders from DuPage United have worked collaboratively
with several groups to research the issue of affordable
housing and seek viable solutions. Both state and local
municipalities can play a significant role in setting
policies to increase the stock of affordable housing;
however, such action requires building grassroots
support for this issue. Our efforts to encourage and
educate citizens in communities throughout DuPage have
proven to be critical to the success of preserving and
increasing affordable workforce housing.
DuPage United has held 10 education sessions on
affordable housing with a total of 925 people
attending. The support is building and elected
officials are taking notice. Since our efforts in this
area began, the City of Naperville has added affordable
housing to its Strategic Initiative Plan for 2007. We
are working with the
City of Naperville
to implement a variety of policies to preserve and
increase the stock of affordable housing.
Downers Grove
is another town where affordable housing is
disappearing rapidly. Now, after significant public
support and education, the village is beginning to
recognize this as an issue for Downers Grove. DuPage
United held a meeting with village council and
candidates for council along with 325 Downers Grove
residents. Specific commitments were made to preserve
and increase the stock of affordable owner-occupied
homes. The Village has now included
affordable housing in the Village Strategic Plan for
2007, and appointed an Ad-Hoc Committee to
determine what affordable housing solutions are best
for Downers Grove.
DuPage
United is also working to expand its efforts to
preserve affordable housing across DuPage County. The
DuPage County Board recently approved an
intergovernmental agreement authorizing the Illinois
Housing Development Authority (IHDA) to sell bonds on
the County’s behalf and to then dedicate $11.25 million
in bond proceeds to DuPage County first time
homebuyers. DuPage United is working to encourage
municipalities throughout DuPage to take advantage of
this opportunity. The Village of Downers Grove would
qualify for over $4 million in State of Illinois bond
cap allocation and is considering such action.
MORE
Close Menu