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.