Communities consider options for affordable housing
by Matt Kiefer
A group of North Shore mayors hopes to enlist corporate assistance to expand work force housing in their towns -- and drum up community support along the way.
Highland Park Mayor Michael Belsky, Deerfield Mayor Harriet Rosenthal and Northbrook Village President Sandy Frum met last month to consult with affordability advocates from the Metropolitan Planning Council and other agencies. The discussion focused on employer-assisted housing strategies -- a term in community development circles that refers to major local businesses donating cash, land or other assets to offset home prices for qualified buyers. Federal grants and tax credits offer an incentive for those businesses to climb aboard, but some elected leaders say they have a ways to go before their communities sign on with any agreements.
"I'm really telling you, we're starting from scratch" in discussing affordability issues in Northbrook, Frum told officials from Deerfield and Highland Park during a May 30 meeting at Deerfield Village Hall. Representatives from Lake Forest and Highwood were also invited to the meeting but did not attend.
The talks are taking place as a nonprofit affordable housing agency, Highland Park Illinois Community Land Trust, makes a move to go regional while inviting other North Shore communities to join.
Proponents say the revamped agency could offer a vehicle to bring together privately subsidized homes and local workers priced out of the North Shore real estate market.
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