News Updates

Housing readiness in action: Kane County approves plan that addresses the demand for housing

Kane County has taken a major step toward addressing the demand for housing: its Board voted to adopt the Kane County Housing Readiness Action Plan.

What does it mean to be housing ready?

• Clear and navigable development procedures
• Access to funding and financing to make deals work
• Collaboration between public, private, and nonprofit sector stakeholders
• Community engagement and education on housing issues
• Zoning regulations and design standards allowing for a variety of housing types, especially near economic opportunities and transportation infrastructure

How did it come together in Kane County?

CMAP and Kane County collaborated on this regional housing policy. This included a two-part panel series with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Chicago, to learn from developers who work across Kane County and northeastern Illinois to expand housing supply and provide options that meet local needs.

Housing readiness looks different for each community.

• Serves as a guide to place communities in a more advantageous position to remove barriers and add to the housing supply at local and regional levels.
  • Regulatory barriers can include building codes, inspections, entitlement processes, and zoning. Working on these barriers can clear the way for housing that meets the needs of residents through all stages of life and household budgets.
• Can be adapted by each individual community, with its own optimal set of actions to attain the level of housing readiness that makes the most sense for their residents and neighborhoods.