Recent Work: .

Vacant Property Resources

The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus recently worked with Business and Professional People for the Public Interest and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) to create two vacant property resources. These documents were written to help municipalities as they work to address one of the many awful consequences of the foreclosure crisis – the enormous increase in the number of vacant properties. In some communities, a few vacant properties with overgrown lawns and an accumulation of trash cause problems for neighbors. In others, troubled buildings attract scavengers, squatters, and gangs and lead to an increase in crime and a decrease in property values. And in some communities with many foreclosed properties, the crisis threatens to doom the entire neighborhood to a cycle of disinvestment and decay. A cluster of vacant properties can destabilize a block. A cluster of troubled blocks can destabilize a neighborhood.

The first document, How Can Municipalities Confront the Vacant Property Challenge?, is an introductory guide. It provides a brief overview of nine tools that have proven most effective as municipalities have worked to reduce the negative impact of vacant properties, stabilize neighborhoods, and promote healthy and vibrant neighborhoods. It is intended to help municipalities begin to determine which programs and policies are most appropriate for them.

The second document, How Can Municipalities Confront the Vacant Property Challenge? A Toolkit, will help municipalities develop and implement these programs and policies. It provides more detailed information about how to put these tools into use. The Toolkit also discusses best practices and provides links to additional resources.

For questions about either of these resources, please contact Allison Milld, Director of Housing Initiatives at the Caucus: 312.201.4507 or amilld@mayorscaucus.org.

Home Grown: Local Housing Strategies in Action

This collection—compiled by the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, Chicago Metropolis 2020, and Metropolitan Planning Council—describes a number of housing “best practices” implemented by local governments around the Chicago metropolitan region. The intent is to show local policymakers and practitioners how their peers are addressing housing issues, and spark ideas for replicating or improving upon these approaches to address their own local housing challenges. This collection demonstrates that exciting, innovative, local efforts are contributing to a quality, diverse housing stock that meets the needs of a variety of residents in our region.

Each summary focuses on how a program, policy or development came about, how it works, why it has been successful, and how it is financed. While many of the best practices address affordable housing issues, other topics, such as fair housing and accessibility, are included in the booklet. Where applicable, we include information on how the public was involved in the process, and what “lessons” the community learned, including what local leaders would do differently in hindsight. Each document also includes information for the people responsible for the initiative, and users are encouraged to contact them for further information. 

The first version of Home Grown was originally released at the end of 2006. This publication is meant to be an ongoing resource. Therefore, the partners have and will continue to update the binder regularly with new best practices summaries. If any community would like to submit a program or development, please contact Allison Milld with the Caucus: 312.201.4507 or amilld@mayorscaucus.org To download a copy of Home Grown, follow this link: Download publication

Summaries new for 2010

Housing Policy and Governance
City of St. Charles Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance
Arlington Height's Multifamily Affordable Housing Policy

Housing Development
First Street, St. Charles

Housing Program
Loyola University Chicago University-Assisted Housing Program

Financing
Chicago Community Land Trust

Previous Work/Accomplishments in Housing:

Housing 1-2-3: A Workbook for Local Officials and Community Leaders

This workbook was produced by the Caucus, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Metropolitan Planning Council and Illinois Housing Council . It serves as a guide to housing planning, creation and preservation. Loaded with how-to advice, and the right questions to ask your community, Housing 1-2-3 is easy to use and provides guidance on many of the issues surrounding housing, including:
• How to assess a community’s true demand for housing of all types and price points
• Identifying ways to bring higher quality housing into areas with a preponderance of lower value homes
• Dealing with aging rental properties in need of new management or rehabilitation
• Ensuring that new developments meet community needs, and are well-managed
• Identifying private and public sector resources to advance housing goals
• Partnerships as part of the housing preservation/creation process
• Finding resources to support local efforts

We hope that Housing 1-2-3 will be a useful tool as municipalities think creatively about ways to preserve, rehabilitate and build a quality and diverse housing stock. For information on the workbook, as well as with any other questions or comments, please contact Allison Milld at the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus: 312.201.4507 or amilld@mayorscaucus.org. The document is also available for download by clicking on Housing 1-2-3 .

Homes for a Changing Region, Phase 2

In October 2009, the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and Chicago Metropolis 2020 completed Phase 2 of the Homes for a Changing Region project. In 2005, the two groups produced Homes for a Changing Region, Phase 1, which examined the changing demographics of the six-county Chicago region and forecasted how the new population will affect housing demand between 2000 and 2030. The report identified a serious mismatch between the type of housing being planned and the housing that is likely to be needed by the region’s growing population.

Phase 2 takes the project to the local level. Over three years, the Caucus and CM 2020 worked with nine communities and COGs. In each year, we produced a detailed housing policy plan for three communities. Year One, completed in October 2007, features an analysis of the housing supply and demand for Aurora, Libertyville and Oak Forest. Year Two included Gurnee, Montgomery and Northlake. Year 3, released in October 2009, focused on Blue Island, Plainfield and Woodstock.  Each study was undertaken with the cooperation of the local community, and the overall project was guided by a Mayors’ Advisory Group. The partners secured funding from the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Field Foundation of Illinois, the Harris Family Foundation, and National City Bank (now a part of PNC) to conduct this work.

To access the report in full, click on the report thumbnail below. For additional information please contact Allison Milld at the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus: 312.201.4507 or amilld@mayorscaucus.org

Homes for a Changing Region (2005)

Homes for a Changing Region (Year One) feat. Aurora, Libertyville and Oak Forest