On May 15, 2008, Mayor Richard M. Daley hosted a breakfast where over 65 top business leaders from around metropolitan Chicago learned about the benefits of employer-assisted housing (EAH).
“The development of affordable housing is one of our highest priorities in city government. Providing affordable housing - at all income levels - in ways that strengthen our neighborhoods and support our workforce is essential for the future of our city,” Mayor Daley said. “Employer-assisted housing is one more way that we can continue working together for a better Chicago. It helps give residents the stake of homeownership in our city, promotes mixed-income communities that enhance the lives of our residents and it helps the participating companies prosper."
At the event, Homes for Working Families, a national nonprofit based in Washington D.C., released a new guidebook, co-authored by Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC), entitled Understanding Employer-Assisted Housing: A Guidebook for Employers . The guidebook contains over 10 examples of employers who have used EAH as a tool to recruit and retain talented employees, and to strengthen community revitalization strategies. Four business leaders from Chicago-area companies showcased in the guidebook received awards both for their high-impact EAH programs and their broader leadership efforts around affordable workforce housing solutions. The four awardees were the following:
- Scott Swanson, President, Charter One Bank
- King Harris, Board Member, System Sensor
- Robert Zimmer, President, The University of Chicago
- Susan Sher, Vice President for Legal and Government Affairs and General Counsel, the University of Chicago Medical Center.
“We wanted to expand our housing support to assist faculty, other academic staff, and University and Medical Center employees to purchase homes near campus,” said President Robert Zimmer from the University of Chicago. “Additionally, EAH provided an innovative way to encourage community investment that strengthens redevelopment efforts currently underway in a number of neighborhoods surrounding the University.”
Edna B. Williams-Foreman, alumni service representative with the University of Chicago who has received counseling and assistance through the university's EAH program, told employees at the breakfast, “This program really changed my life and the lives of my children. The opportunity was enormous. Mentally, I was ready (to purchase my first home) but my credit was not the best. My housing counselor saved me from going into a sub-prime loan. She helped me understand that the fast way is not always the best way. This program has helped me spend time with my children and with my community. I am now president of the local PTA, and have just helped by son purchase his first home. It has truly changed my life.”
Give MPC a call for more information about how EAH can work with your company. If your company is located within the city of Chicago, please call Jane Hornstein, Housing Consultant, at (312) 863-6040 or jhornstein@metroplanning.org. For companies located in the suburbs of Chicago, please call Lillie Sellers, Housing Consultant, at (312) 863-6005 or LSellers@metroplanning.org . Visit the REACH Illinois Web site to learn more.
