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MPC fall roundtables feature Lipinski and other experts on key regional
challenges: transit, housing and changing demographics
On Sept. 22, U.S. Rep. William O.
Lipinski (D-Ill.), Jim Graebner of the American Public Transit Association, G.B.
Arrington of Parsons Brinckerhoff, and Rick Laubscher of Market Street Railway
in San Francisco will discuss transportation challenges facing the Chicago
region and alternative transit modes being implemented in other parts of the
country. Paul Karas of Grove Management Co., and a member of MPC’s
Transportation Committee, will moderate the panel, “Reinventing Transit: Better
Options for a Growing Chicago Region,” which is being held in conjunction with
Rep. Lipinski.
On Oct. 10, “Right at Home: New
Directions in Employer-Assisted Housing,” will explore employer-assisted housing
(EAH) initiatives in the region.
EAH is proving more and more popular with employers and workers
alike.
In addition to the benefit
of helping people buy homes closer to work, EAH programs serve to ease traffic
congestion and strengthen communities. Panelists will be Mark Lusson of
Northwest Community Healthcare, Riverdale Mayor Zenovia Evans, and David Baker
of Illinois Institute of Technology.
King Harris of Chicago Metropolis 2020, and a vice chair of MPC’s Board
of Governors, will moderate.
Panelists for the Oct. 22
roundtable, “The Policy Implications of a Growing Latino Population,” will
present and discuss new research on the growing Latino population in
Illinois.
Juan Rangel of United
Neighborhood Organization (UNO), Sylvia Puente of the Metropolitan Chicago
Initiative of the Institute for Latino Studies at Notre Dame, and Gabriel Nagy
of Latinos United will examine the policy implications of the research and the
diverse character of the state’s growing Latino population. Juanita Irizarry of
Latinos United, and a member of MPC’s Resource Board, will moderate.
The final roundtable for this fall,
“The Future of Public Housing: A National Perspective on Creating Successful
Mixed-Income Communities,” is on Oct. 28.
Bernard Loyd of McKinsey and Company, Inc. and a co-chair of MPC’s
Housing Committee and a member of the Board of Governors, will moderate.
Panelists Paul Brophy of Brophy and
Reilly in Columbia, Md.; Peter Holsten of Holsten Real Estate Group; Mindy
Turbov of Turbov Associates and the Brookings Insititution’s Center on Urban and
Metropolitan Policy; and Sudhir Venkatesh of Columbia University in New York
City will provide insight into a variety of strategies – local and national – to
promote viable mixed-income communities.
MPC roundtables are exceptional
opportunities to explore critical issues facing the region and state.
They are lunchtime events that require
reservations.
Cost is $12 for
members and $25 for non-members.
There is no cost for media. For more information or to register, visit
MPC on the Web at
www.metroplanning.org/calendar.asp
. Please note that
registration on the Web is closed for the first two roundtables.
However, media may still attend by
calling Peter Skosey at the number below.
Contact:
Peter Skosey
Vice President of External
Relations
312.863.6004 or
pskosey@metroplanning.org
Business Leaders for Transportation sponsors public forum series on federal
transportation funding
Business Leaders for Transportation is leading
an effort to spark and inform public discussion on the critical importance of
federal transportation funding and the reauthorization of TEA-21. On Tuesday,
Oct. 14, U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller (R-Ill.) will be the featured speaker at the
first of five public forums
with members of Congress to address
transportation issues important to the local business community
. Co-sponsors of the first forum are
Transportation for Illinois Coalition, Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce, Will
County Center for Economic Development, and CenterPoint
Properties.
Business Leaders for Transportation,
with nearly 150 members representing more than 12,000 regional employers,
provides a collective voice for Chicago-area employers on surface transportation
issues and is widely recognized and respected. Of central importance to the
coalition is increased state and federal transportation funding for northeastern
Illinois, supported by coordinated planning to achieve the most efficient and
desirable return on transportation system investments.
Contact: Karyn Romano
Transportation Director
312.863.6005 or
kromano@metroplanning.org
Campaign for Sensible Growth presents practical solutions for Park Forest
and Riverdale
Since 2001, the Campaign for
Sensible Growth and ULI Chicago have been partners in an innovative effort to
give local communities access to expert advice through technical assistance
panels (TAPs). Each panel considers specific challenges, and provides ways to
connect housing, transportation and community livability issues that result in
sensible growth recommendations to guide local action.
This summer, the Campaign and ULI
Chicago cooperated on two panels.
In Park Forest, in July, the TAP looked at converting a failed retail
mall into a vibrant downtown. The Riverdale TAP, in August, addressed strategies
to revive a large, privately owned housing development. Each resulted in a set
of recommendations unique to the situation but applicable for other communities
facing similar challenges.
The Campaign membership meeting on
Oct. 1, at 8 a.m. at the Mid-Day Club, 10 South Dearborn, will feature reports
on both TAPs. Speakers include John Mays of Gould and Ratner and chair of the
Park Forest TAP, Park Forest Village Manager Janet Muchnik, Park Forest Village
President John A. Ostenburg, John Powell of Fannie Mae, David Walker of Skidmore
Owings and Merrill and member of Riverdale TAP, and Riverdale Mayor Zenovia
Evans.
Jack Neal, managing director
of Banc One Capital Markets, Inc., will moderate the panel.
Registration is required.
Call 1.800.321.5011 to register.
Contact:
Ellen Shubart
Campaign for Sensible Growth
Manager
312.863.6009 or
eshubart@metroplanning.org
Initiative encouraging mixed-income and affordable housing development draws
interest from developers throughout the region
As the governor unveils his strategy
for addressing
the housing needs of workers unable to afford homes near their jobs and of
households earning less than $25,000 per year, MPC and the Illinois Housing
Development Authority (IHDA) are announcing the next round of incentives
available to rental housing developers through the Regional
Housing Initiative (RHI).
RHI,
which also includes three regional housing authorities (Chicago, Cook and
Lake),
is an innovative effort to spur mixed-income
housing development that meets the Housing Endorsement Criteria adopted by the
Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission and
numerous municipalities.
RHI applications are due to IHDA on Oct. 22.
For more information on RHI or to download an
application, go to
www.metroplanning.org
.
Contact:
Robin Snyderman
Housing Director
312 863 6007 or
rsnyderman@metroplanning.org