Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties are partnering with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) to apply for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) grant program. Our…
As more communities look to expand housing types, they may consider a simple idea: accessory dwelling units. An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a second housing unit on a single-family residential lot. Commonly referred to as granny flats, coach houses,…
Economic prosperity drives the housing market, which, in turn, fuels economic prosperity. Although northeastern Illinois is one of the world’s great economic centers, the region has fallen behind similarly sized metropolitan areas over the past decade. This piece investigates key…
LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual) communities experience a range of challenges with transportation, safety, and housing. According to U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey data for October 2021, more than half a million people in northeastern Illinois identified…
Planning for aging populations is not a new concept, but it is becoming more important as the number of seniors in northeastern Illinois grows. About 13 percent of the region’s population — more than 1 million people — were seniors…
Key findings Executive summary Homelessness in northeastern Illinois dropped to its lowest point in more than a decade prior to COVID-19, according to a new analysis by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). There were 7,573 people experiencing homelessness…
We still do not know how the coronavirus pandemic will change the region’s housing market, in part, because governmental interventions like emergency rent assistance, eviction suspensions, and mortgage forbearance have provided needed support to homeowners, tenants, and landlords. Despite the…
Walkable communities – places with a variety of businesses, transportation, and community assets in easy walking distance – can improve quality of life, drive down transportation costs, encourage healthier lifestyles, reduce emissions, and foster a more economically and environmentally sustainable…
The tax structure affects a government’s ability to attract and retain businesses and provide public services for its residents. Each of the hundreds of local governments in northeastern Illinois differs in its tax base, service and infrastructure needs, and ability…