New Study: Affordable Homes Near Jobs, Transit Key to Slowing Climate Change
A new national study offers conclusive evidence that
reducing metropolitan Chicago’s energy consumption relies on meeting the growing
demand for affordable homes near jobs and transportation options. Growing
Cooler: The Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change (available at
Smart Growth America's
Web site
) shows that in the Chicago region
between 1980 and 2005, population increased by about 6 percent, while the annual
miles traveled per driver grew at nearly six times the rate of population
growth, or an alarming 34 percent.
The report recommends that one of
the best ways to reduce vehicle travel is to create places where people can
accomplish more with less driving. Market research shows a majority of future
homebuyers will want to purchase smaller homes in neighborhoods where jobs,
activities, and multiple transportation options are close by. The potential for
change is profound, since two-thirds of development expected to be on the ground
in 2050 is not yet built.
“Many developers in the Chicago region want to meet this
demand, but they need local, regional and state agencies to align regulations
and resources to support this type of attractive development,” said Michael
Davidson, manager, Campaign for Sensible Growth
.
To learn more about what this report means for
metropolitan Chicago – and about legislation recently passed in Illinois to
support compact, walkable communities – contact Davidson at 312-863-6009 or mdavidson@growingsensibly.org.
Chicago-Area Companies Helping Their Employees Avoid Foreclosure
When a person loses his home to
foreclosure, finding a new place to live is the first thing on a list of
worries. He may be forced to find a new job, commute a greater distance, or take
time off work due to emotional stress. Just as individuals and the economy are
feeling the ripple effects of the nationwide spike in foreclosures, employers
are enduring consequences as well, including turnover costs, and employee
tardiness and absenteeism.
MPC is partnering with public and private sector leaders
on a hands-on solution to stem the tide of foreclosures in our region:
employer-assisted housing (EAH). Through REACH
(Regional Employer-Assisted Collaboration
for
Housing) Illinois, employers are helping
their employees purchase homes they can afford by providing downpayment
assistance
and free homeownership counseling.
The program – offered by companies and institutions as diverse as Charter One
Bank, Allstate, Loyola University, and the Village of South Holland –
requires participants to take an eight-hour homebuyer course, which includes lessons
on property laws, credit reporting, mortgage lending, and an overall explanation
of basic homeownership dos and don’ts. The counseling is “a great help”
to first-time buyers who may not have experience with lending and
finance, according to MPC Housing
Director
Robin
Snyderman.
For information about EAH programs in your coverage
area, visit www.reachillinois.org, or contact Snyderman, at 312.863.6007
or rsnyderman@metroplanning.org.
Transit’s Role in Mixed-Income Communities Highlighted in Recent MPC Update
Many of Chicago’s most well-established, and racially
and economically diverse communities (including Rogers Park, Logan Square, and
Hyde Park ) have a strong network of train stations and bus stops located near
homes, shops, restaurants, and parks. Amenities like these often develop because
– not in spite – of their proximity to a transportation hub. MPC’s latest Update on the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) Plan
for Transformation
suggests that the new mixed-income communities
created by the Plan can take a cue from these well-established communities and
plan ahead to coordinate a wide range of public transportation options with
nearby commercial and retail development.
The Update introduces
Reconnecting Neighborhoods, a community planning initiative to explore
transportation conditions in three new mixed-income communities – ParkSide of Old
Town (formerly Cabrini-Green), WestHaven (formerly Henry Horner Homes), and
Oakwood Shores (formerly the Madden/Wells/Darrows site). The visioning process will
be led by local stakeholders in partnership with the City
of
Chicago, Regional
Transportation Authority, HNTB, CHA, and MPC. The Update also compares transit
service offered in different
Chicago
neighborhoods.
To read the update, visit MPC’s Web site. For more information, contact MPC Housing
Director Robin Snyderman, at 312.863.6007 or rsnyderman@metroplanning.org.
Meet the MPC Staff
DeLaurentiis Helps Local Leaders Turn Sound
Policy into On-the-Ground Results
Kristi DeLaurentiis
, MPC manager
of local government and community relations, is truly a Jill of all trades.
Since 2000, when she joined the Council as south suburban coordinator,
DeLaurentiis has worked with local elected and appointed officials, planners and
business leaders on a myriad of issues, ranging from transit connections to
affordable housing, commercial development to sustainable growth. DeLaurentiis’
role takes her across Chicagoland as she meets with local leaders to help
translate MPC policy goals into on-the-ground results.
“MPC’s mission to create livable
communities and strengthen the economic competitiveness of the entire region is
something I believe in,” said DeLaurentiis. “Working with others ‘in the
trenches’ has shown me how valuable our technical assistance efforts and
strategies are at the local level, and how important it is to forge partnerships
to address our regional challenges.”
Once a cancer researcher, the Homewood native earned her
master’s degree in environmental biology from Governors State University . She
lives in south suburban Frankfort, Ill., with her husband, and has two
college-age daughters. In her “free” time, DeLaurentiis serves as a member of
the Board of Trustees for Governors State University, Illinois Digital Divide
Elimination Advisory Committee, and as a volunteer member of the Illinois Board
of Directors for the American Cancer Society. She also contributes op-eds on a
regular basis to Star newspapers and Joliet Herald News
.
Contact DeLaurentiis at 815-325-1220 or
kdelaurentiis@metroplanning.org.