State makes uneven progress on housing - Metropolitan Planning Council

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State makes uneven progress on housing

Promising activity by the governor’s Housing Task Force was overshadowed by the administration’s decision to cut over 10 percent of the limited resources of the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

On March 30, 2004, members of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s Housing Task Force convened in Springfield to review draft reports from each of its six working groups (regional/community solutions, family, preservation, special needs, rural/small cities, innovations) that have been meeting over the last three months. Updated meeting schedules for each, as well as copies of these drafts — due as final reports in May — are available on the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Web site. IHDA staff provide the structure for and support to this multi-pronged, intergovernmental effort, which engages more than 100 volunteer professionals.

The reports themselves and the overall Task Force activity were both encouraging, building on the recommendations of the Housing Committee advising the governor's Transition Team and fostering meaningful exchange among intergovernmental, private sector, and nonprofit housing advocates. Still, many members — public and private sector alike — left the Springfield meeting only to learn discouraging news. The Blagojevich administration had cut the budget of the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund by $3.8 million, or over 10 percent of last year’s budget, as part of its overall effort to cover General Operating Funds.

Disappointed by this news, and understanding that it was motivated by fiscal prudence, MPC sent Gov. Blagojevich a letter emphasizing that this action undercuts the very priorities championed by his administration and appealing to him not only to reverse this decision, but also to prevent such cuts in the future.
 
The governor has demonstrated his commitment to linking housing, sensible growth, and economic development. In her letter, MPC President MarySue Barrett said that "Illinois is not attractive to business unless it can accommodate the needs of the local workforce. No issue is more central to family stability than the quality, location, and affordability of a home.”

Click here to contact the governor's office to voice concern on the Trust Fund cut.

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