On Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2005 , Chicago Mayor Richard M .
Daley hosted a breakfast for over 120 business leaders at The Chicago Club to
spotlight employer-assisted housing (EAH). Launched
by MPC initially to promote housing affordability in expensive job markets, this
initiative has also proven to be an effective strategy for promoting
reinvestment -- especially in support of the new mixed-income communities
developed as part of the Chicago
Housing Authority’s Plan for Transformation
. Mayor Daley expressed his
appreciation to the business community for making Chicago a leader in bringing
private sector support to revitalizing public housing, especially the institutions already committed to implementing EAH for their
employees and in support of the Plan for Transformation
.
In addition to Mayor Daley, the panel included the
City's Housing Commissioner Jack Markowski as well as CHA CEO Terry Peterson.
The program was moderated by David Baker, MPC Board Member and vice president
of external affairs for the Illinois Institute for Technology. Baker described
the program he launched in support of Park Boulevard (the redeveloped Stateway
Gardens ) in coordination with the Illinois College of Optometry and De La
Salle. Over 100 employees attended the program launch last fall, over 50 are
benefiting from homeownership counseling through the program, and 16 have
already made initial deposits on their new homes.
After introducing a video on
EAH produced by the City of Chicago’s Department of Housing
, MPC President MarySue Barrett
outlined the benefits of employer-assisted housing as an outsourced, easy-to-administer
employee benefit
that
helps retain valuable employees
by
investing in their ability to live
near work. MPC’s role matches interested employers with
housing
counseling agencies that
will administer the program,
as well
as work with the employees to repair their credit,
find mortgage
lenders,
and possible identify homes to purchase. These
agencies
are nonprofit
institutions
that
specialize in housing counseling.
Below are the counselors MPC is partnering with in the city of Chicago to
carry out EAH programs:
-
Genesis Housing
Development Corporation
-
Housing Choice
Partners
-
Neighborhood
Housing Services of
Chicago
-
Rogers Park Community Development
Corporation
-
Spanish Coalition
for Housing
MPC is also working with LEED Council
to help tailor a special
consortium for small businesses.
With the new mixed-income sites providing affordable
homes, employer-assisted housing is a win-win solution, for employers and
employees, as well as for communities. In addition to the various city products available to participating employees, companies
can receive state tax credits for supporting income-eligible employees,
and can leverage state matching funds
for the employees
.
MPC’s latest
CHA Progress Report reveals how civic engagement and partnerships are
crucial
to
the success
of Plan for Transformation. EAH encourages investment from moderate-income and
market-rate households in redeveloping communities through employer
participation.
Crain’s Chicago Business article “Employer-assisted Housing Gains Ground in Chicago” on January
7 highlighted the event by providing the background of EAH program in the
suburbs four years ago and mentioned the participating employers. Special
recognitions were also given to local employees who have signed up since
September 1 to support the Plan for Transformation .
“An Employer-Assisted American Dream”, an
article in World
Business Chicago on February 17 on the Mayor’s breakfast, praised EAH as
“reducing commuting, resulting in a happier, more productive workforce”. IIT and
De La Salle Institute’s EAH programs were featured as
programs supporting Park Boulevard, a mixed-income community in the former
Stateway Gardens site. The article also recognized new financial
institutions signing up for EAH in the city. Robin Snyderman, the Housing
Director of the Metropolitan Planning Council, wrote “Housing Help
Works” in Crain’s Chicago Business, reinstating the importance of providing
homes near work and the significance of the supports from the mayor and governor
in encouraging employer-assisted housing program.
For more information about EAH in Chicago,
please contact Jane
Hornstein , MPC’s housing consultant on employer and developer relations, at
312-863-6040 or jhornstein@metroplanning.org
.
For information about EAH beyond the city of Chicago, please
contact Samantha DeKoven, MPC housing associate, at 312-863-6021
or sdekoven@metroplanning.org.
