The Illinois Works Coalition is headed to metropolitan Chicago to get the public's take on how Illinois should fund a long-overdue state capital plan to build and maintain roads, bridges, transit, schools and housing. MPC will provide the coalition with funding recommendations– and a proposal for how Illinois can ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely on capital needs.

It may seem hard to believe, but Illinois does not have a process for rating all transportation projects to determine which make the best use of taxpayers' dollars. Such a process is sorely needed, if for no other reason than that the state does not have enough money to fund all of the projects on its wish list. According to a 2007 study by the American Economics Group, Illinois has almost $9 billion in surface transportation capital needs per year over the next five years; however, only $2 billion a year is spent for surface transportation projects.

The Illinois Works Coalition – named for the governor's proposed capital plan – has been touring the state since February, led by Southern Illinois University President and former congressman Glenn Poshard, and former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert. In a recent article in the Southern Illinoisan, Poshard was quoted as stating, "If we want a capital bill, then somebody's got to say, 'Here are the tough choices and here's what we recommend.'" MPC couldn't agree more and will only support a capital investment package with an objective, criteria-driven system for making those difficult, but necessary decisions about which Illinois transportation projects deserve taxpayer dollars.

The Illinois Works Coalition will host a listening session in Geneva , Ill. , on Monday, April 28, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit the Illinois Works Coalition Web site, or contact Michael McLaughlin, MPC Director of Regional Policy & Transportation, at 312-863-6022 or mmclaughlin@metroplanning.org.

Near West Communities Invited to Help Plan Retail, Transportation Access

The Near West Task Force of Reconnecting Neighborhoods, a community planning process that will result in recommendations for enhanced transit services, retail, and improved public infrastructure in three Chicago neighborhoods, invites Near West Side community members to a public meeting on Monday, April 28 , from 5:30 to 7 p.m., at the "Major" Adams Community Committee Center, 125 N. Hoyne Ave., Chicago, to learn more about transportation and retail amenities in and around the Westhaven Park neighborhood, and to voice their opinions about how to make their neighborhood more convenient and vibrant.

The project is being led by the City of Chicago Dept. of Planning and Development, with support from the Regional Transportation Authority, MPC, and HNTB, a firm handling the project's technical work and research. For more information, visit the Reconnecting Neighborhoods Web site, or contact MPC Reconnecting Neighborhoods Manager Brandon Johnson, 312-863-6046 or bjohnson@metroplanning.org.

Suburban Mayors Exploring Potential for Joint Affordable Housing Trust Fund

At a recent City Council meeting, the City of Lake Forest gave Mayor Mike Rummel the go-ahead to explore the creation of a joint affordable housing trust fund with the four neighboring towns of Deerfield, Highland Park , Highwood, and Northbrook. The proposal also was discussed at a recent Northbrook City Council meeting; and is up for consideration by Highland Park's City Council on Monday, May 12 , and by the other cities in the coming weeks. Mayors of Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Palatine and Rolling Meadows are leading a similar effort. While the concept is in its infancyin Illinois, LakeForest's City Council is enthusiastic about the potential benefits of the ARCH (A Regional Coalition for Housing) model, which in Washington state has created a partnership between 15 communities ensuring all of them have the staff capacity and funding needed to build and preserve workforce housing.

With gas prices and foreclosure rates skyrocketing, and poverty on the rise in suburban Chicago (as evidenced by a recent Heartland Alliance report), local leaders are recognizing they can relieve some of the economic burden on families by ensuring a range of homes at all price points are available, particularly in job-rich and transit-friendly communities. Mayors from the north and northwest suburbs have already seen the benefits of working collectively to solve local workforce housing shortages through the Charter One Workforce Housing Initiative, which is engaging employers in these towns in investing in employer-assisted housing and other workforce housing solutions. An interjurisdictional affordable housing trust fund could be the next step to helping even more people save money on housing, gas and other rapidly rising costs in metropolitan Chicago. For more information, contact MPC Vice President of Community Development Robin Snyderman, at 312-863-6007, or rsnyderman@metroplanning.org.

CPS Homebuyer Assistance Helps Chicago Teachers Defy Weak Housing Market

As foreclosure rates reach all-time highs in Chicago and across theU.S., the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Teacher Homebuyer Assistance Program is helping hundreds of teachers afford homes and avoid common pitfalls that can lead to foreclosure. CPS has confirmed that, despite the local and national downturn in the housing market, the number of teachers who have purchased homes through the program remained consistent in 2006 and 2007.

With support from the City ofChicago's Dept. of Housing, and Partnership for New Communities, the program helps teachers become stable homebuyers to achieve its main goal of improving teacher retention. According to CPS Teacher Housing Director Diana Johnson, "When launching this program in April of 2005, the Board of Education had found that if we could bridge teachers through their fifth year at CPS, then we'd have likely secured a career teacher."

To date, the program, available to some 24,400 teachers system wide, has helped 524 teachers better prepare for homeownership through downpayment assistance and homeownership counseling provided by Rogers Park Community Development Corporation (CDC). Consistent with the broader REACH Illinois employer-assisted housing initiative, this counseling "ensures that teachers not only understand the [homebuying] process, but also know how to protect themselves and their investment once they make a purchase," according to Caleb Sjoblom of Rogers Park CDC.

For more information on the CPS Teacher Homebuyer Assistance Program, or other REACH Illinois Employer-Assisted Housing (EAH) programs like it, please contact Jane Hornstein, MPC EAH consultant, at jhornstein@metroplanning.org or 312.863.6040.

Mr. Johnson was a long-time member of the MPC Board of Governors, established MPC's Executive Advisors, and tapped MPC's expertise in the research phase for his book, Chicago Metropolis 2020: The Chicago Plan for the 21 st Century.

At its February 20 Executive Committee meeting, MPC approved a resolution to honor Mr. Johnson, which reads, in part:

We acknowledge with sincere appreciation the dedication, guidance and service of Elmer W. Johnson. We further resolve to honor the memory of Elmer W. Johnson by continuing our work to implement sensible growth ideas and regional planning to improve the quality of life and economic opportunity of all residents of the Chicago region.

Mr. Johnson was an attorney and prominent member of the Chicagoland business community, and contributed to the economic vitality of the region as a partner at Jenner & Block since 2002; managing partner of Kirkland & Ellis for 20 years; and general counsel, executive vice president and director of General Motors Corporation. From the time he left Kirkland & Ellis in 1999, until 2002, Mr. Johnson served as president and trustee of the Aspen Institute.

"Elmer was a fixture of Chicagoland's business and civic communities," said MPC President MarySue Barrett. "He was all the more impressive because he was genuinely committed to making the region a place where everyone had an opportunity to succeed and live well."

The Commercial Club of Chicago, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and United Way of Metropolitan Chicago were among Mr. Johnson's other civic involvements. He also was an original member of the Chicago Metropolis 2020 Executive Council; established in 1999.

As part of this project, MPC staff traveled to New York City in March to meet with PPS staff and attend a Placemaking workshop.  The workshop, "Streets as Places," focused on ways to reclaim streets as pedestrian-friendly public spaces.  Experts on transportation and community design spoke about the need to design streets for people, not cars, and the importance of community input.  Approximately 40 people from nine states and three international countries attended the workshop, which featured presentations and an interactive place audit exercise. 

Building on knowledge gained in the workshop, MPC will work with PPS to create The Great Chicagoland Places Guidebook, a resource for Placemaking in the Chicago region that is due to be released in October 2008.  Also in the fall, PPS and MPC will host a series of workshops for community groups and city staff and officials on Placemaking in Chicago, after which MPC and PPS will provide community technical assistance for Placemaking projects. 

For additional information, please contact Karin Sommer at (312) 863-6044 or ksommer@metroplanning.org

Develop a new state capital program that incorporates quantifiable selection criteria as part of an essential cost-benefit analysis.

MPC will only support a capital package that uses criteria. We are not naïve and understand that this is politically challenging, not the least because it may infringe on legislative earmarking of projects that do not rate highly compared to others. Nonetheless, utilizing selection criteria is neither a new nor a radical idea. In researching how other states make capital investments, MPC identified at least nine states that employ selection criteria for their capital planning. In the U . K . , the recently released Eddington Study promises to reform transportation planning nationwide by implementing selection criteria and cost-benefit analysis to evaluate and rank transportation investments.

The first step in developing criteria is to establish statewide goals for the investments through a consensus-driven process involving all regional stakeholders. Again, other state models are a useful starting point. Missouri identifies eight criteria to measure the value of its transportation investments, including economic competitiveness, quality of communities, and environmental protection. To be effective, criteria should not favor one mode of transportation over another, but rather evaluate broad, yet quantifiable, goals that can be advanced by various forms of investment, from bike and pedestrian enhancements to large-scale transit extensions. This evaluation should be done at the regional level through the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, where a broad array of stakeholders can participate in the process.

MPC will continue to advocate for maintaining our regional infrastructure, but will insist that projects are chosen for investment based on a detailed cost-benefit analysis that includes quantifiable criteria. We will release best practices and a framework for criteria-based decision-making in Illinois later this spring. Tax dollars are scarce and this is the best way for the state to spend the people's money wisely.

Two of Chicago's newest housing leaders, Lewis Jordan, CEO of CHA, and Ellen Sahli, commissioner of the Chicago Dept. of Housing, opened the forum, which featured a panel discussion with a national researcher, Dr. Thomas Boston, professor of Economics, Georgia Tech University; and local practitioners, Charles Hillman, assistant director of asset management, CHA; and Mary Wiggins, chair of the Residents' Central Advisory Council (CAC), and a member of the CHA Board of Commissioners. Pam Daniels-Halisi , senior vice president of community development lending at LaSalle/Bank ofAmerica, and MPC Housing Committee member, moderated the panel.

As the newly appointed CEO of CHA, Mr. Jordan expressed his excitement about working with CHA staff and partners, and building on the level of interest and support of so many stakeholders in making the Plan for Transformation a success. He spoke frankly about the poor quality of CHA's traditional public housing in the past, but emphasized a commitment to improving the physical quality of the housing, as well as higher expectations for residents' quality oflife. "Chicago is in the midst of the largest public housing redevelopment in the country," he said. While continuing to raise standards, "the foundation of CHA's vision should be quality of life for residents. When children become 18, CHA's goal is to make sure they have other options," saidJordan.

Commissioner Sahli connected the Plan for Transformation to the city's larger affordable housing agenda . Homes preserved and created through the Plan advance the city's overall affordable housing goals for both low and moderate-income families. Ms. Sahli, who has an extensive background in the supportive housing field, also highlighted the importance of combining rent subsidies with support services to help people increase their incomes.

Dr. Boston shared insights based on his four-year research of outcomes for Atlanta Housing Authority (AHA) residents. Using data for every AHA household over the past 10 years, his research tracked indicators such as employment status, income, education, and poverty status over time and linked them to community indicators such as crime rates, poverty levels, and school quality. "When families have access to quality housing and neighborhoods, they have drastically different socio-economic outcomes," he said. Dr. Boston is in the initial stage of a similar study of CHA residents, funded by the MacArthur Foundation.

Boston stressed the correlation between neighborhood stability and resident self-sufficiency. "Housing assistance alone will not lead to self-sufficiency," he said, and attention must be placed on broader service and community networks. He described other best practices for achieving the goal of self-sufficiency for residents and creating better neighborhoods, such as engaging public and private partners to improve original neighborhoods with necessary policies and to attract new investment. "In many communities, financing is easier to address than the sociology of making them successful," saidBoston.

Hillman outlined the overall physical, cultural, and economic goals of the Plan for Transformation for CHA leaseholders. As of the end of 2007, CHA has completed 65 percent of its goal to create 25,000 homes. Of that, CHA has renovated more than 2,000 units in traditional family properties , representing 43 percent of its goal for these sites.

Hillman described the comprehensive renovations-infrastructure, interior, exterior-that are completed, taking place or planned in a number of family properties including, Altgeld-Murray, Lawndale, and Washington Park Low-Rise homes. The cost of these renovations has increased significantly since the beginning of the Plan, with a current cost between $120,000 and $150,000 per unit. Along with investments in physical renovations, he said, "CHA wants to be comprehensive in its efforts and spends over $25 million of its own funds and from its partnerships on social services such as case management, children and youth services, and workforce development." These services and more are provided in all communities where CHA residents temporarily or permanently reside. Moreover, Hillman stressed that "all residents of Chicago have a lot to offer, including CHA families, and people should not be defined by their landlords."

Ms. Wiggins spoke from her perspective as a CHA resident, leader of the Resident's Central Advisory Council (CAC) and a member of the Board of Commissioners. She reiterated the goal to move all residents to self-sufficiency, including those living in the rehabbed family properties and stressed that all stakeholders are "working for the greater good of CHA residents." Given the large investments of CHA and its partners, she said, "No one is asking CHA to spend money and not hold residents accountable," but it's important to remember that "employment places have closed and residents are affected by the job market like other Chicagoans." Ms. Wiggins also emphasized "many CHA residents are successful and have moved on from public housing, but their stories are not told."

A brief Q&A session following the panelists' presentations touched on a variety of topics, including the additional supports and resources needed in the "rehabs," impact of the Plan for Transformation on children, and importance of the rehabs to the overall Plan for Transformation.

Even at the conclusion of a robust Q&A session, there was still tremendous appetite for further dialogue and debate. MPC explained there would be future opportunities to delve into the many topics touched on at the forum, such as building rehabilitation, property management, neighborhood redevelopment, social services, and resident engagement.

MPC was happy to join the Chicago Community Trust as it celebrated the launch of Chicago Matters: Growing Forward, on March 3, 2008.  Now in its 18th year, Chicago Matters annually brings together Chicago Public Radio, WTTW-Channel 11, Chicago Reporter magazine, and Chicago Public Library to delve into an issue from the perspective of each medium. The topic of this year's series is creating a  sustainableChicago region. 

The launch event provided a taste of programming to come and celebrated Trust-supported projects that have advanced sustainability . It also marked the culmination of months of hard work by the Trust in collaboration with MPC and the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT).   For the first time in  Chicago Matters history, the Trust enlisted outside organizations to help frame the major issues for the media.  To this end, MPC and CNT jointly produced a panel discussion for reporters in December that featured experts on the topics of water, transportation, energy, and regional growth, as well as a follow-up reference guide for reporters that outlines the major sustainability issues in the Chicago region and provides contact information for experts on these issues.

For more information on Chicago Matters: Growing Forward, please visit the Web site: http://www.chicagomatters.org/

Ald.Toni Preckwinkle (4th Ward), in partnership with the Quad Communities Development Corporation, and the new initiative Reconnecting Neighborhoods, invites community members to a series of local meetings on Feb. 20, 27, and March 5, to:

• Voice their opinions about how to make their neighborhood more convenient and vibrant.
• Plan improvements that will increase access to transportation, shopping and jobs.
• Learn more about transportation and retail amenities -- both current and potential -- in the Grand Boulevard, North Kenwood, Douglas, and Oakland neighborhoods.

These meetings are the first community meetings for Reconnecting Neighborhoods , which will invite residents of three Chicago mixed-income neighborhoods to participate in the planning for the future of their communities. The project will result in recommendations for enhanced transit services, retail, and improved public infrastructure in Near North, Near West and Mid-South neighborhoods. The project is being led by the City of Chicago Dept. of Planning and Development, with support from the Regional Transportation Authority and MPC. HNTB, a planning firm, will handle the project's technical work and research.

For more information, including locations, contact MPC Reconnecting Neighborhoods Manager Brandon Johnson , 312-863-6046 or bjohnson@metroplanning.org. And check out the Reconnecting Neighborhoods Web site next week for a revamped look, profiles of community members, and more details about this initiative.

New Case Studies Show Local Leaders Are Working to Balance Housing Options

Earlier this month, St. Charles, Ill., adopted an inclusionary zoning ordinance and housing trust fund, joining a handful of municipalities in metropolitan Chicago taking steps to address the regional and national affordable housing crunch. MPC, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, and Chicago Metropolis 2020 are helping to promote such actions through the expanded edition of Home Grown: Local Housing Strategies in Action , featuring 51 best practices from the region.

Home Grown helps municipal officials and housing developers learn how their peers are solving housing challenges, and provides ideas for replicating or improving upon these approaches. This collection is a "living" resource that is updated annually with new, local examples of case studies on innovative housing policies and developments, including regional programs such as employer-assisted housing. New tothe guidethis year areprofiles fromBartlett, Chicago, DuPageCounty, Elgin, Glenview,Joliet, KaneCounty, Naperville, Northlake, Park Forest, Plainfield, andSchaumburg.

Download a copy of Home Grown ;or contact MPC Community Building Associate JoshEllis, 312-863-6045, or jellis@metroplanning.org.

MPC Encouraged by Proposals to Improve Federal Transportation Funding

Voters in metropolitan regions like Chicago are going to the polls in record numbers, calling for federal leadership on issues critical to their daily lives. Like healthcare and homeownership, transportation – not only how people get from place to place, but also a major factor in the amenities they have access to – needs a dose of fresh thinking at the federal level. MPC is encouraged by the bold thinking in the report "Transportation for Tomorrow ," the product of a national commission charged by Congress with improving transportation funding policies, including recommendations to:

• Increase transportation funding at the state and federal level to improve aging bridges, roads, transit systems, and rail infrastructure.
• Institute performance and accountability standards that require economic justification for projects.
• Increase funding for transit, passenger rail, and freight projects.
• Hike the gas tax. (Note: MPC also recommends exploring alternative funding sources for the highway trust fund, as gas tax revenues continue to decline.)
• Expand authorization for congestion pricing and public-private partnerships.

Many of these recommendations mirror MPC proposals for state action. In preparation for reauthorization of a federal surface transportation bill in 2009, and in partnership with The Brookings Institution's Blueprint for American Prosperity , MPC will push for a new federal transportation framework to support metro regions. Contact MPC Regional Policy & Transportation Director MichaelMcLaughlin, mmclaughlin@metroplanning.org or 312-863-6022.

Modeshift Conference Will Encourage Communities to Be Low-Carbon Leaders

The Climate Group recently issued a report stating, "State and regional governments around the world are fast becoming an essential part of the movement to combat climate change." In metropolitan Chicago, municipalities, too, have more actively been seeking strategies for curbing emissions and saving energy. Local planners and community leaders will have plenty of ideas to choose from at the Healthy Streets Conference , taking place Thursday, Feb. 28, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Metcalf Federal Building, 3rd floor, 77 W. Jackson, Chicago.

The theme of this year's conference, "Modeshift," encourages community leaders and planners to calculate their communities' transportation carbon footprints and equips them with the tools they need to significantly reduce them. Keynote speaker Martha Roskowski, of Go Boulder, will give an account ofBoulder's efforts to be a low-carbon leader in Colorado and the nation.

Registration is $35 for Chicagoland Bicycle Federation members and $45 for non-members. Lunch is included. Attendees may register online. Reporters may attend free of charge, but registration is appreciated.

This event is presented by the U.S. EPA and the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, and co-sponsored by the Metropolitan Planning Council, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, and Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission.

Congestion pricing is a tool that is gaining popularity across the country and world as a way to ease traffic gridlock.  The tenet behind congestion pricing is simple: increase costs for service when there is the greatest demand to encourage users to seek alternatives.  For automobile travel, congestion pricing often refers to charging drivers who use the most crowded roads at rush-hour a higher fee than those who travel on alternate routes or during non-peak periods.

Mayor Daley's parking plan applies the concept of congestion pricing to parking.  Motorists who park in heavily used areas – whether on the street or in public garages - during times of high demand would be charged a higher fee.

The most successful congestions pricing proposals also incorporate improved alternatives. For example, whenLondon first implemented cordon pricing for its central area in 2002, it simultaneously increased transit service by adding 1,000 additional buses. Chicago could enhance its proposal by increasing transit service.

Implementing a form of congestion pricing for parking in Chicago will contribute to a healthier city and produce benefits beyond congestion reduction.  For those with no other option than to drive, congestion pricing means fewer cars on the road and a faster commute time.  With traffic moving faster, city bus service is able to move more efficiently, easing the commute time for transit users.  Environmentally, congestion pricing results in cleaner air and lower fuel consumption of gas, as cars do not spend as much time idling in traffic or circling the block for parking.

Responses to the city's Request for Qualifications are due March 14 and will be followed by a second round to select a high-bidder.  The city anticipates closing the deal in the third-quarter of this year. 

 

 

]]> http://metroplanning.org/press/press.asp?objectID=4273 2/14/2008 MPC has just released its2008 Policy Agenda - Opportunity Knocks, a 12-month roadmap for developing, advocating for, and implementing policies that address issues affecting the Chicago region, including a slow housing market, high rates of foreclosures, unprecedented and uncoordinated land consumption, and crushing traffic gridlock.

In 2008, MPC will focus on advancing policies that:

• increase transportation options– including walking, riding bikes, and taking transit – for residents and businesses across metropolitan Chicago, both to reduce congestion and curb emissions;
• create more great places in Illinois by identifying and promotinglow-cost, but highly effective strategies to improve planning efforts at the local, regional and state level; and
• engage the private sector in financing innovations that will serve and stabilize thelocal workforce, including affordable housing and transportation options.

Policy proposals set forth by MPC are built on a foundation of consensus-building. By partnering with civic organizations, community groups, business leaders, and government agencies during all three stages of policy development – research, advocacy and implementation – MPC for decadeshasbeen an effective agent for regional policy change.

For more information about MPC's Policy Agenda - Opportunity Knocks , contact Peter Skosey, vice president of external relations, at (312) 863-6004 or pskosey@metroplanning.org.

]]> http://metroplanning.org/press/press.asp?objectID=4268 2/12/2008 Get Up to Speed on 2008 Regional Priorities at MPC Media Briefing

Maintaining the region's well being is comparable to keeping a home in good repair: as soon as one renovation project is completed, something else needs attention. Last week, the region celebrated as Springfield finally approved a long-term funding solution to the region's transit operating crisis. Now, as local, regional and state leaders prepare to turn their attention to the 2008 to-do list, MPC will highlight key agenda items at a media briefing on Tuesday, Feb. 12 , from noon to 1:30 p.m., at MPC's offices, 25 E. Washington St., Suite1600.

MPC experts will provide background and forecasts on critical regional issues expected to be debated this year, including:

• a state capital investment plan for roads and bridges, transit and freight, housing and schools;
• innovative financing mechanisms for infrastructure projects, such as public-private partnerships and congestion pricing;
• a statewide framework for managing water resources; and
• new state leadership for planning in Illinois.

They'll also discuss how the elections can help call national attention to the concerns of metropolitanChicago 's residents and businesses. And they'll explain how changed policies will affect stories currently making headlines, including the housing market's turndown, the global energy crisis, andChicago's Olympics hopes. To register, contact MPC Assistant Communications Director Mandy Burrell, 312.863.6018, mburrell@metroplanning.org.

Individuals Strengthening Chicago Schools to Share Successes at MPC Roundtable

Join MPC on Thursday, Jan. 24 , as we continue our Roundtable Series featuring neighbor-led community revitalization efforts. Parents and school administrators from three Chicago communities will discuss how they've forged partnerships to strengthen their school communities at a luncheon discussion, from noon to 1:30 p.m., at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, John Buck Company Lecture Hall, 224 S.Michigan Ave., 1st Floor Lobby,Chicago.

Henry S. Webber, vice president for community and government affairs at the University of Chicago and an MPC board member, will moderate a panel of parents and school administratorsfrom Chicago's LincolnSquare, Little Village, and Austin communities.

This roundtable is co-hosted with the Chicago Architecture Foundation and generously sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Cost for MPC donors is $15; cost for non-donors is $30. Members of the media may attend free of charge. Lunch will be provided. To register, contact MPC Assistant Communications Director Mandy Burrell, 312 .863.6018, mburrell@metroplanning.org.

St. Charles Set to Vote on Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance, Housing Trust Fund

The west suburban City of St. Charles keeps moving one step closer toward approving an inclusionary zoning ordinance and housing trust fund, both of which would help preserve and create more affordable housing in the community. In February, the St. Charles City Council is scheduled to vote on the measure, which was approved unanimously by the Planning and Zoning Committee on Jan. 14.

If the measure is approved, St. Charles will join a small, but influential group of cities (includingChicago, Lake Forest and Highland Park) that have instituted similar measures to ensure they have a mix of housing at all price points available to local residents.

"St. Charles is part of a growing number of cities in our region that not only have acknowledged how important it is to have homes affordable to local residents and workers, but that also have taken actions to balance their housing stock," said Joanna Trotter, manager of MPC's Community Building Initiative , which helped the city draft the measures. "An inclusionary zoning ordinance and housing trust fund are the first two of several new tools and resources the city is considering to preserve affordable housing in St. Charles, and help leverage private sector investment to create new affordable homes."

For more information about what the ordinance and trust fund could mean for St.Charles, and the region, contact Trotter at 312-863-6008, or jtrotter@metroplanning.org.

]]> http://metroplanning.org/press/press.asp?objectID=4227 1/22/2008 Though 2008 is just days old, MPC staff already has plans for how their daily work will help improve the metropolitan region this year.

Joanna Trotter, Manager, MPC Community Building Initiative

My New Year's resolution is to foster greater cooperation between communities in the region.

My hope for our region is that we begin to work across municipal boundaries for the greater economic and social well being of the entire Chicagoland area. Toward this end, I will help communities work together to pool resources in order to create high-quality affordable housing in areas with good job opportunities, such as the north and northwest satellite cities.

I also will work with communities that are jointly attracting new economic development and investments to areas that historically have struggled to bring in new business, industry, and quality jobs, such as those along the Calumet River. By working together and not competing, communities will be more apt to identify their individual strengths and unique place in our regional market and will collectively attract resources and use them more efficiently.

Michael McLaughlin, Director of Regional Policy and Transportation

With federal and state transportation dollars flat-lining and losing their purchasing power, we need to find ways to stretch those dollars even further. "Congestion pricing" is a mechanism proven worldwide to manage demand for roads and other transportation modes. In 2008, cities such as New York, San Francisco, Miami and Seattle likely will join the growing ranks of metropolitan areas that will implement congestion pricing.

The Chicago region should develop and coalesce around a comprehensive congestion pricing strategy this year, so that 2009 will become the year of implementation of congestion pricing in the region. MPC will explore the possibilities for congestion pricing in our region by partnering with the Toll Highway Authority to study the effects of congestion pricing on Chicagoland's toll road network. MPC also will establish peer exchanges and forums with other cities around the nation and world to highlight best practices with regard to congestion pricing and related transit and road improvements.

Karin Sommer , Associate

The focus for my first year at MPC will be on creating and sustaining great places in Chicago. Three projects specifically address this goal: Placemaking; A New North Lawndale; and our emerging transit-oriented development initiative.

The Placemaking project will establish a curriculum for creating and maintaining great public spaces in Chicago through the production of a guidebook, trainings, and technical assistance to Chicago neighborhood groups.

A New North Lawndale deals with street design, using the redevelopment of Ogden Avenue into a pedestrian-friendly corridor as a catalyst for change inChicago's North Lawndale community.

The transit-oriented development initiative will build upon our successfulJan. 10th roundtable, "Within Our Reach: Your World in Half a Mile," to encourage and implement more development near transit inChicago.

Katherine Bucar , Graphic Design Associate

I resolve to streamline MPC's communication to board, donors, partners, and friends; and further develop MPC's targeted electronic communications. In 2008, MPC will increase the availability of our information online – and, in so doing, reduce paper waste! Beginning later this month, we will introduce a new monthly e-mail newsletter that consolidates two existing communiqués, and complements our printed, tri-annual Regional Connection newsletter, as well as our quarterly reports to the board.

Lillie Jernigan, Consultant, Employer-Assisted Housing

In 2008, I'm excited to continue building on the momentum from the work MPC started in 2007 under the Charter One Workforce Housing Initiative in Chicago's northwest and northern suburbs. Partnering with 10 municipalities and not-for-profit housing experts, the traction for this initiative is strong and will continue to grow this year as we work with area employers to develop public-private housing resources for area families.

Under this initiative in the northwest suburbs of Mt. Prospect, Palatine, Arlington Heights, Rolling Meadows, and Buffalo Grove, the partner is Housing Opportunity Development Corporation (HODC). HODC is also the main partner in the northern suburbs of Deerfield, Highwood, Highland Park, Lake Forest , and Northbrook , along with the Affordable Housing Corporation of Lake County (AHC).

In addition to convening employers through unified outreach, several of these communities are moving forward with their own unique contributions to the supply of affordable workforce housing. Throughout 2008, I will be working closely with municipal staff and our housing expert partners to take employer interest and activity around workforce housing in these communities to the next level.

Josh Ellis, Community Building Associate

By improving MPC's research, analysis, and presentation capabilities, I hope to help communities better understand and visualize the steps they can take to make more equitable, sustainable and sensible choices about the future. Between our publications, such as the forthcoming Housing 1-2-3; the hands-on training workshops that go with them; and original research and analysis, my hope is that any kind of community – from fast-growing suburbs to more established, yet disinvested, communities – will be better equipped to tackle any development challenge.

Kristi DeLaurentiis, Manager of Local Government and Community Relations

Many municipalities have moved ahead on their plans to create livable, vibrant communities. Some, following extensive planning processes, are already implementing the forward-looking strategies that are needed to get them there. Others are learning from their neighbors in the region or looking elsewhere across the globe, what it takes to tackle particularly thorny challenges that impact residents and businesses.

My New Year's resolution is to showcase Illinois communities leading the way, where planning and innovative strategies make a difference in the character of the place and people's lives; and examine measures that can help others along the way.

]]> http://metroplanning.org/press/press.asp?objectID=4225 1/14/2008 MPC's Winter 2008 Roundtable, "Within Our Reach: Your World in Half a Mile," captured the attention of planners, developers, elected officials, and community groups from around the region, as it explored the opportunities and challenges to integrating neighborhood development with transit service.

Co-hosted with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), the blockbuster event featured a dynamic discussion from out-of-town practitioners: David Taylor, national director of Sustainable Transportation Solutions, HDR, Inc., Catherine Cox-Blair, principal cityplannerin Denver, and James Keefe, president and principal of Trinity Financial inBoston. Chicago Ald. Mary Ann Smith (48th Ward) and Sam Assefa, director of land use and planning policy for Chicago 's Dept. of Planning and Development, provided local perspective.

The experts addressed the positive effects of approaching community building and transportation investment jointly as transit-oriented development (TOD). Mr. Taylor framed the TOD movement and walked through success stories from around the country. Ms. Cox-Blair emphasized the importance of establishing expectations for all invovled partners. Mr. Keefe stressed collaborating with the various parties from the begining of the planning and development process. Ald. Smith and Mr. Assefa rounded out the discussion by describing emerging opportunities and strategies for building stronger neighborhoods and skillfully designed TOD in the urban core.

Carefully nurtured, TOD pays dividends well beyond homeowners' pocketbooks and convenience - it is a boon for local businesses, protects the environment through massive energy and emissions savings, and supports better transit service and increased ridership. Both the CTA and MPC recognize TOD as a win-win, long-term strategy for creating great urban places.

Presentations

David Taylor
Senior Vice President
National Director, Sustainable Transportation Solutions, HDR, Inc.

Catherine Cox-Blair
Principal City Planner, Dept. of Community Planning and Development
Denver , Colo.

James Keefe
President and Principal, Trinity Financial, Inc.
Boston , Mass.

Sam Assefa
Director of Land Use and Planning Policy, Dept. of Planning and Development
Chicago , Ill.

Ald. Mary Ann Smith(48th Ward)
Chicago , Ill.

For more information, please contact Michael Davidson, Manager of Planning, at 312-863-6009 or mdavidson@metroplanning.org.

]]> http://metroplanning.org/press/press.asp?objectID=4226 1/14/2008 Presentations available from "Within Our Reach: Your World in a Half Mile", an MPC/CTA hosted disucssion featuring some of the country's most knowledgeable transit experts about why transit-oriented development (TOD) is critical to urban vitality.

David Taylor
Senior Vice President
National Director, Sustainable Transportation Solutions, HDR, Inc.

Catherine Cox-Blair
Principal City Planner, Dept. of Community Planning and Development
Denver , Colo.

James Keefe
President and Principal, Trinity Financial, Inc.
Boston , Mass.

Sam Assefa
Director of Land Use and Planning Policy, Dept. of Planning and Development
Chicago , Ill.

Ald. Mary Ann Smith (48th Ward)
Chicago , Ill.

For more information, please contact Michael Davidson, Manager of Planning, at 312-863-6009 or mdavidson@metroplanning.org.

]]> http://metroplanning.org/press/press.asp?objectID=4223 1/11/2008 Learn Why Hybrid Vehicles Won't Save the Planet at Dec. 6 MPC Roundtable

Global warming has sent society's conscientious consumers scrambling for low-carbon fuels and hybrid vehicles – but will these individual choices, however noble, add up to a more sustainable region? Not likely, according to Growing Cooler , a groundbreaking report recently published by the Urban Land Institute that pegs the cause of our ever-growing fuel dependency not on the type of car we drive or what we pump into it, but on development patterns leaving people with little choice but to drive more every year.

Growing Cooler author Reid Ewing ? a former Arizona state legislator turned professor at the National Center for Smart Growth at the University of Maryland - will present findings from his study at an MPC roundtable on Thursday, Dec. 6, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Mayer Brown, 71 S. Wacker Dr., Chicago. He'll explain why community planning and design are critical to reducing the need to drive, and with it, carbon fuel emissions, a key contributor to global warming; and he'll address how metropolitan Chicago and Illinois can do their part to halt our climate crisis. Randy Blankenhorn, executive director of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, and Sadhu Johnston, chief environmental officer of the City ofChicago, will respond to Reid's findings and identify local applications.

Guests are required to register with Pam Lee at plee@metroplanning.org or 312-863-6011; or at MPC's Web site, www.metroplanning.org. Cost is $15 for MPC members, $30 for nonmembers, and includes lunch. A picture I.D. is required to enter the building. Members of the media may attend at no cost and should contact MPC Communications Associate Mandy Burrell at mburrell@metroplanning.org or 312-863-6018.

Miracle on 138th Street: Riverdale Development Begins Long-Awaited Renovation

If you believe in miracles, this is your season – and this may be your story: officials in Riverdale have broken ground on the the multi-million dollar community redevelopment effort transforming one of the region's poorest and most crime-ridden communities into the new, mixed-income community Whistler's Crossing.

South suburban Riverdale – with an estimated population of 14, 418 –has long been known for its well-maintained single-family homes on tree-lined streets. Yet the 90 or so historic homes in a neighborhood once known as Pacesetter have long been deteriorated. What's more, the entire community area north of 138th Street, south of the rail yards, east of Lowe Avenue, and due west of Eggleston Avenue has been a hotbed for crime and poverty in an otherwise stable village.

The first phase of the project will consist of restoring the 90 homes and upgrading the wider community area. Whistler's Crossing will be a mixed-income haven where businesses, homeowners, and renters can co-exist harmoniously. Riverdale Mayor Zenovia Evans – a former resident of Pacesetter – has called the community's revitalization "a dream come true."

To learn more about Whistler's Crossing, contact MPC Community Building Initiative Manager Joanna Trotter, 312-863-6008, or jtrotter@metroplanning.org .

HB 2353 Adds Affordable Housing to Illinois ' Capital Investment Strategy

As the number of victims of mortgage foreclosures continues to rise, destabilizing renters as well as homeowners, the State of Illinois is taking a major step forward to combat the shortage of quality affordable housing options statewide. For the first time in state history, HB 2353 authorizes the Illinois Housing Development Authority to use state capital fund dollars to create and preserve affordable homes in Illinois for low-income and very low-income households.

"Ensuring every community in Illinois has a well-balanced housing stock benefits all of us, from businesses, hospitals and schools that rely on their employees being able to find homes near work, to families that don't want to have to move further out to find a home they can afford," said MPC Housing Director RobinSnyderman. "By making affordable housing preservation and development a key element in the state's capital investment plan, Illinois has a tremendous opportunity to more strategically link the development of affordable homes to job centers and transportation options – hopefully reducing our congestion headaches as well!"

The bill was approved by the General Assembly in November and awaits the governor's signature. Snyderman noted that the bill provides yet another impetus for state legislators to approve a new state capital plan to fund roads, bridges, transit, schools and, now, homes. The state's last capital plan expired in 2004. For more information, contact Snyderman at 312-863-6007 or rsnyderman@metroplanning.org.

Meet the MPC Staff
Connect with MPC Reconnecting Neighborhoods Manager Brandon Johnson

A native of Chicago 's South Side, MPC's Brandon Johnson is thrilled to be making a difference in his community – and two others on the city's West and North sides – every day through his role as MPC project manager of Reconnecting Neighborhoods. The project, which kicked off in early November, invites residents of three mixed-income Chicago communities to participate in the planning for their future. The project will result in recommendations for enhanced transit services, retail, and improved public infrastructure in the Near North, Near West and Mid-South neighborhoods.

"Growing up on the South Side, I saw and encountered lots of problems related to housing, transportation, and commerce, so to actually have a chance to be part of the solution is an amazing opportunity," said Johnson regarding his new role, which he began this July after spending two years with the Illinois General Assembly.

With a bachelor's degree in political science from Morehouse College and non-terminal studies in political and cultural theory at the University of Chicago, Johnson is well suited to coordinate Reconnecting Neighborhoods for MPC. The project is led by the City of Chicago Dept. of Planning and Development, with support from the Regional Transportation Authority and MPC. HNTB, a planning firm, will handle the project's technical work and research. Stay tuned in the coming months, when each community's Local Task Force will hold a series of meetings to weigh in on community issues such as transportation, retail and job opportunities. Contact Johnson at 312-863-6046 or bjohnson@metroplanning.org.

Learn more by contacting Mandy Burrell, MPC communications associate, at 312-863-6018 or mburrell@metroplanning.org, or by visiting www.metroplanning.org.

]]> http://metroplanning.org/press/press.asp?objectID=4147 12/5/2007

As Chicago pursues its Olympics bid, MPC's Luncheon will highlight the legacy opportunities the Olympics can bring to elevate our region's world-class status and economic competitiveness. Our Keynote Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tessa Jowell, MP Minister for the Olympics and London, oversees the Government Olympic Executive and chairs the Olympic Board and will speak to the great opportunity an Olympics bid can have to invest in a city's infrastructure and economy.

WHEN: Thursday, November 29, 2007 11:00 – 11:45 Reception 12:00 – 1:45 Luncheon and Program

WHERE: Grand Ballroom ( East Tower ) Hyatt Regency Chicago 151 East Wacker Drive

As our only fund raising event each year, the Annual Meeting Luncheon provides important financial support for Council programs. With the large cross section of almost 2,000 corporate, civic, government and community leaders and the wide media coverage this event attracts, it is a great opportunity forward to learning valuable lessons about legacy planning from London's experience.

General admission is $150 per ticket and $1,500 per table. Sponsorship tickets and tables are priced from $500 to $25,000. Download an advanced registration form describing table options and benefits at each level or call 312-553-2000 for purchase information.

]]> http://metroplanning.org/press/press.asp?objectID=4130 11/12/2007 Click here for a PDF version of North Lawndale: A Survey of Existing Conditions.

 

]]> http://metroplanning.org/press/press.asp?objectID=4107 10/9/2007

by Jay Walljasper

My hope that day was to showcase inspiring examples of how everyday citizens made tremendous improvements in the place they call home by putting their heads together with neighbors to conceive new ideas for their neighborhoods and then rolling up their sleeves to put these into action.

A sunny, near perfect September day took me to Chicago, where the Metropolitan Planning Council had graciously invited me to talk about the role neighborhoods play in social change. That's the message of my new book The Great Neighborhood Book(New Society Publishers), written in partnership with my colleagues at Project for Public Spaces (PPS). "The citizens are the experts," has long been the PPS mantra, based on their 30 years of experience helping communities achieve their dreams of becoming safe, lively, livable, lovable places. This phrase reinforces the idea that architects, traffic engineers, public officials planners and other professionals have valuable contributions to make towards neighborhood revitalization efforts, but when their plans turn a deaf ear to a community's own aspirations for the future, the results often fall far short of the goals.

The Great Neighborhood Book offers hundreds of examples of how neighborhood residents all over the country came up with sweeping visions and practical proposals for positive change in their communities. This is what I talked about to a warmly receptive audience at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, which co-sponsored my appearance along with the Metropolitan Planning Council with funding in part from the National Endowment for the Arts. I was impressed with the diverse background and interests of the people I met that afternoon, which ranged from an agricultural economist to an environmental anthropologist to a neighborhood activist working on a fascinating project in Northeastern Indiana with the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

My hope that day was to showcase inspiring examples of how everyday citizens made tremendous improvements in the place they call home by putting their heads together with neighbors to conceive new ideas for their neighborhoods and then rolling up their sleeves to put these into action.

• In the Toronto suburb of Mississauga, a man helped transformed his neighborhood simply by putting a bench in his front yard. The first thing he noticed is that older people were walking around the block again because they had a spot to rest along the way. Then he saw other people stopping to talk to one another at the bench, increasing the community spirit of the area. Then, several other of his neighbors added benches to their yard, giving the whole block a more convivial feel.
• In the city of Delft in the Netherlands, a group of neighbors were fed up with cars speeding down their street so one evening, under the cover of darkness, they dragged old couches and tables into the middle of the street. They arranged the furniture in a way that did not block the traffic but did force it to slow down as drivers had to negotiate their way around these objects. Shortly, the police arrived and, while noting that this action was clearly illegal, also admitted it was a really good idea. Soon, the municipal government was creating their own more permanent version of the neighbors' old furniture-and the idea of traffic calming was born. It is now used all over the world to make streets safer for everyone by helping drivers slow down and recognize that the street is not just for cars.
• In Philadelphia, artist Lilly Yeh was confronted with despair at the sight of rubble all over a neighborhood on the city's north side. She decided she must do something and began cleaning up one vacant lot. Local kids watched her with interest and were soon helping her turn this squalid property into an unofficial park and gathering spot. The project grew into the Village of Arts and Humanities, which has created many small parks and public art projects around the area as well as youth, theater, music and job training programs.

As varied as the examples in the book are-geographically, demographically and culturally-there are some common elements that can make a difference in any neighborhood.

Public gathering places: People need places where they can spontaneously and comfortably get to know their neighbors.

Walkability: It's hard to make a connection with people from behind a windshield. Face-to-face encounters are what spark neighborliness. Plus, as Jane Jacobs taught us almost a half-century ago, people on the street are the best deterrent to crime and other social problems.

Social capital: The liveliest, healthiest neighborhoods have one thing in common: People living there are involved in a wide variety of social interactions. These don't have to be activist or cause-oriented groups. Any kind of organization, from a church choir to a card club to a sports league which brings people together will strengthen the social fabric of your community.

A couple of sparkplugs: Two or three dedicated citizens are often all it takes to get things going. When they begin talking to their neighbors about a problem or an opportunity around the neighborhood, things take off from there.

Joining me at the microphone after my remarks were representatives of three neighborhood projects in Chicago whose experience wonderfully reinforced all the points I made about the power of neighborhoods to change the world.

Gardens for All

Pamela van Giessen and Alison Zehr from the Rogers Park Garden Group chronicled the remarkable success of this new organization on the city's far north side in encouraging not just backyard flower and vegetable patches but in reclaiming a neglected city park by creating a gorgeous public garden. This all-volunteer effort, conducted with the approval but little direct help from the Chicago Park Board, has instilled the neighborhood with a new sense of pride and beauty-a major accomplishment for a group less than two years old.

Bike Trails for All

Next, Keith Holt offered his experience in guiding efforts to create a new rails-to-trails bikeway through the South Side of Chicago. Named the Major Taylor Bicycle Trail, for a legendary African-American bike racer who broke all records in the late 19th century, the project hopes to overcome the stigma in minority communities that biking is a white, middle-class pastime. The trail itself was created in spite of safety fears, landowners' opposition and widespread cynicism, finally opened this past summer. It is now enjoyed by bicyclists and walkers of all ages, incomes, and ethnic backgrounds. Holt says, "These are neighborhoods where not many people can enjoy a health club. The trail makes a difference in people's lives and the health of the community."

Every Block is A Village

Then Adell Young , who exhibited equal amounts of shyness at speaking before a crowd and innate forcefulness, stood up to tell a story about her Austin neighborhood on the West Side. She confessed that she had long avoided contact with people on her block out of shame over her son, who was out on the street every day selling drugs. But when things got so bad she finally reached out to her neighbors in desperation, she found that many of them were in the same sad situation. As parents and relatives, they realized they had some influence over the dealers in the street. So they organized a potluck dinners-exactly what helped revive my neighborhood back in Minneapolis-to work out a strategy. Their first step was to offer bowls of chili to the dealers as a symbol that wholesome food will save them while more drugs will eventually kill them. It was a bold move-a group of mostly older women coming out with a pot of chili-and made a statement that the street belongs to everyone. "We showed them what they were doing to our homes," she recalled, and after a number of evenings when neighbors stood witness to their dreams of a drug-free community, the chastened drug peddlers left the block. There was no confrontation, just the moral authority of people standing up for what they want.

These efforts soon blossomed into an informal organization called Every Block's A Village, which is now active on more than 50 blocks of the Austin neighborhood. These groups don't limit themselves to clearing the streets of dealers, they tackle other pressing issues such as the lack and health care services. Out of this has come the West Side Wellness Center, which offers preventive health programs, a dialysis center and other health care needs missing in the neighborhood. The idea for the Center began in the Village Block clubs, who got the ball rolling with $33,000 raised through raffles sales and chicken dinners.

A group of concerned mothers, aunts, fathers and cousins standing up to the unhealthy traffic of drugs in Austin, turned into a positive effort to improve the community's health. Although bashful at the beginning of her talk, Adell Young was full of fire by the time she finished.

Excited by these stories of neighborhood empowerment, I decided that someone should do a follow-up: The Great Chicago Neighborhood Book.

The Great Neighborhood Book can be ordered at www.pps.org . Jay Walljasper is senior fellow at Project for Public Spaces, executive editor of Ode magazine, and writes extensively about urban issues.

To listen to an audio recording of the event, please visit Chicago Amplified.

For more information about MPC's placemaking work, contact Peter Skosey, MPC vice president of external relations.

]]> http://metroplanning.org/press/press.asp?objectID=4101 10/3/2007 Click here for a PDF version of the Metropolitan Planning Council's Issue Brief on ?Restrictive Covenants/Deed Restrictions.

]]> http://metroplanning.org/press/press.asp?objectID=4058 9/11/2007 Time-Strapped Transit Riders Warily Eye Sept., Advocates Continue Funding Fight

Elliott Hitchcock understands the value of the adage "time is money." As landlord, property manager, Catholic school teacher, sole proprietor of his own small business, and caregiver for his diabetic father, Hitchcock is what some may classify as a "multi-tasker." To remain so proficient and productive, he relies heavily on the convenience and efficiency of the Stony Island Express bus. However, Hitchcock-like thousands of riders around the Chicago region-will be forced to find alternative means of transportation as a result of impending Pace and Chicago Transit Authority route suspensions, fare hikes and an estimated 700 job cuts scheduled to occur on Sept. 29 and Sept. 16, respectively.

"The Stony Island Express is exactly what I need to make my schedule work," says Hitchcock, a 25-year-old South Side native, of the express service. "A lot of times I have to be in two places at once, and the ability to get back and forth between the Daley Center and my house on 83rd is essential." Hitchcock teaches at a private Catholic school on Stony Island while also caring for his diabetic father, and like thousands of other Chicagoans, must commute regularly between outlying parts of the city and downtown. With the impending threat of service cuts and fare hikes, Hitchcock anticipates that "something is going to break."

This Wednesday, Aug. 22, at 10 a.m., Chicago-area transit advocates will hold a news conference in Gov. Rod Blagojevich's neighborhood, at the Francisco Brown Line station (west of the Chicago River, east of Sacramento) to urge the governor and legislators to approve a long-term solution to funding regional transit. MPC supports SB 572, a bi-partisan bill that would increase the regional sales tax by one-quarter of one percent and allow the City of Chicago to increase its real estate transfer tax to fund transit. For further information concerning the news conference please contact Mandy Burrell at 312.863.6018 or mburrell@metroplanning.org.

MPC Roundtable to Highlight Public-Private Solutions to Affordable Housing

Chicago-area families often must endure their own "needle in a haystack"-like pursuit when searching for communities that offer affordable homes as well as good jobs and quality schools. To ease their search, the State of Illinois has developed a housing policy that rewards communities and employers that work together to create more housing opportunities near jobs. Mayors in 10 north and northwest suburbs are partnering with local employers to provide homes at all price points, and MPC will host a discussion about this work on Friday, Aug. 24 at "Bridging Boundaries: Mayors Partnering to Close the Jobs-Housing Gap," a luncheon roundtable at Charter One Bank, 71 S. Wacker Dr., 29th Floor, Chicago.

The event will be moderated by Stephen M. Porras, vice president of acquisitions and affordable housing for Related Midwest; and include panelists, DeShana Forney, executive director of the Illinois Housing Development Authority; Mayor Rita Mullins of Palatine; Mayor Michael Belsky of Highland Park ; and Arthur J. Sullivan, program manager of the East King County, Wash.-based ARCH (A Regional Coalition for Housing). At the event, attendees will learn what is happening in Chicago's north and northwest suburbs, as well as hear about workforce housing models from other parts of the country.

General registration for this event is closed, but media may attend at no charge. Get complete details on MPC's Web calendar, or contact MPC Communications Associate Mandy Burrell at 312.863.6018 or mburrell@metroplanning.org for more information.

Meet the MPC Staff
Peter Skosey Is in the Know on Politics and Policy in Chicago and Springfield

Now in his11th year with the Metropolitan Planning Council, Peter Skosey, vice president of external relations, has witnessed and participated in the transforming of MPC, the Chicagoland region, and the state of Illinois as a whole into a more transit-rich, policy-friendly, and community-conscious place.

Skosey started at MPC in the capacity of urban development director in 1996. He was initially charged with restructuring the Council from its foundation of exceptional research into an advocacy group for sound public policy. The Hyde Park native has watched MPC go from what he describes as "a more research-oriented group to one that not only writes policy recommendations but also is committed to making recommendations actually happen."

After serving three years in his initial role, Skosey accepted a promotion to his current role, and has worked closely with everyone from community leaders and policy makers to aldermen, mayors and even, on occasion, the governor to accomplish a wide array of policy initiatives. In addition to his official titles, Skosey also spent several months as the interim director of transportation, and while doing so, accumulated a wealth of knowledge concerning transportation financing and planning.

As a graduate of the University of Chicago, where he obtained his bachelor's degree in behavioral science, and the University of Illinois at Chicago , where he earned his master's degree in urban planning, Skosey has spent many years living in the city that he now strives to improve. In his opinion, his job isn't necessarily work. "I truly enjoy improving policies to add to the bigger picture of making the city and region a better place for everyone," he said. For further information, tips and insight into Chicagoland and state issues, contact Peter Skosey , MPC vice president of external relations, at 312.863.6004 or pskosey@metroplanning.org .

]]> http://metroplanning.org/press/press.asp?objectID=4035 8/21/2007 You may have read about congestion pricing in the newspaper or heard the phrase at a meeting and wondered what it means. There are actually many different types of congestion pricing. But the basic concept is to add significantly improved transit and other travel options and then implement a fee to drivers to use an area of the street or highway system, while driving or while parked, in order to induce enough of them to choose other ways or times of traveling so that everyone can access their destinations more easily.

The Chicago region has typically sought to build our way out of traffic jams and crowded streets. The state continues to build new roads and expand existing streets and highways, while the region tries to compensate by adding more transit service. It seems like we're always behind, struggling to catch up with even more demand for moving people further and further out in the region. There's never enough money to keep up with the demand, and sprawl continues apace. The explanation for this frustrating vicious circle is explained in a paper by Robert Johnson, who is a professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at the Universityof California,Davis:

"The most-effective policy sets combine land use policies, such as compact growth, with strong transit provision and not expanding highway capacity. The addition of auto pricing policies, such as fuel taxes, work trip parking charges, or all-day tolls increases the effectiveness of the land use and transit policies. Peak-period tolls, by themselves, increase travel. Expanding road capacity, along with transit capacity, but without changing market incentives to encourage more efficient use of existing roads and parking, results in expensive transit systems with low ridership." – "Review of U.S. and European Regional Modeling Studies of Policies Intended to Reduce Motorized Travel, Fuel Use, and Emissions" Robert A. Johnston, August 2006

Prof. Johnson's reference to "market incentives to encourage more and efficient use of existing roads and parking" is commonly known as congestion pricing. The concept has been around for many years but has become especially popular as of late as major cities like London and Stockholm have implemented a form of the tool, and New York City and other U.S. cities and regions pursue plans to implement various types of congestion pricing. If you are new to the concept and are interested in quickly acquainting yourself with the basics, including case studies of on-the-ground uses of the tool, click through the suggested reading list below.

Suggested Reading

"Road Pricing" Victoria Transport Policy Institute

World Review of Road Pricing

• Phase 1 – Lessons for the UK
• Phase 2 – Case Studies
• Phase 2 – Final Report

Federal Highway Administration's Urban Partnership Agreement program

IMPACTS conference on transportation

]]> http://metroplanning.org/press/press.asp?objectID=4007 7/26/2007 c*(f+nv)=t(m-p)

- The parking equilibrium equation presented by Prof. Donald Shoup, Department of Urban Planning, University of California, Los Angeles

At a June 5 roundtable co-hosted by the Metropolitan Planning Council and Chicago Architecture Foundation, a panel of experts described the challenges of solving this equation for their communities. Dr. Rachel Weinberger, professor at PennDesign at the University of Pennsylvania and former private industry expert, Ald. Margaret Laurino (39th Ward), and Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th Ward) discussed practical ways to create great neighborhood retail centers by managing parking demand.

More and more successful cities and towns have given up on trying to accommodate more demand for driving by building more highways, widening streets, and increasing parking supply. They've learned that building more room for driving just fills up with even more cars, which leaves the city or town back at square one. So they're taking a different tack and developing ways to manage demand for driving while still increasing the number of people shopping in their retail districts. After all, though the transportation engineering industry does not require or even encourage keeping statistics on this, most successful urban retail districts already have a solid base of people walking, biking, taking cabs, and taking the train or bus to the area. And their desire to shop at the retail district more often is directly impacted by the quality of their experience. You don't need an equation to figure out that sidewalks that have been slashed with curb cuts and parking lots to accommodate more parking decreases foot traffic.

Dr. Weinberger kicked off the event by dispelling many of the myths about parking demand. She noted that communities have been lamenting the perceived parking shortage since the early 20th Century. Dr. Weinberger, who has worked on a variety of parking management projects for the public and private sector, emphasized that communities that focus solely on increasing parking will likely fail to act in the best interest of promoting local economic development and quality of life. Communities that focus on maximizing access, however – whether it be in the form of people walking, taking the bus, biking, driving, taking the train, or arriving by cab – are likely to create the foot traffic that boosts local sales and makes the shopping area lively and inviting. Maximizing access requires prioritizing the most efficient travel options, like walking, over the most destructive, and then managing demand for those options that are most likely to have a negative impact on the shopping area and actively increasing options that will have a positive impact.

Ald. Laurino and Ald. Preckwinkle, both of whom have been leaders in considering the implementation of Transportation Enhancement Districts inChicago, discussed the practical local challenges of managing parking demand while boosting overall access to the shopping area. Transportation Enhancement Districts (TEDs) maximize parking availability by setting the price of on-street parking to a level that ensures there is always a space available, and then returning the additional revenue from the meters to the local community to use for improving access to the district.

After their remarks, the panelists had a lively discussion with the audience about the impact of looming transit service cuts and other practical issues on the feasibility of implementing Transportation Enhancement Districts and other parking management tools in the Chicago region.

Watch the video of Parking 101 , courtesy of CAN-TV.

Learn more about Transportation Enhancement Districts .

View a diagram of the cycle of car-oriented development .

View a diagram of the cycle of people-oriented development .

This roundtable was generously supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The p.m. rush hour at Union Station will be the backdrop on Monday, June 25, for a news conference with business, university, and elected leaders calling on Gov. Rod Blagojevich to support a funding fix that will keep public transportation – and business – moving across Chicagoland.

Metropolitan Chicago is Illinois' economic engine: two-thirds of the state's populationlives here, and two-thirds of total state revenue is generated here. Without a strong, reliable public transportation system, Chicagoland could easily be in the ranks of Cleveland … or Detroit. Alarmed by what's at stake for the regionand state if Metra, Pace and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) are forced to cut service and raise fares, the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) will hold a news conference downtown at Union Station, on the sidewalk between the Adams Street and Jackson Boulevard entrances, on Monday, June 25, at 3 p.m. Business leaders, university officials, and state legislators will call on the governor to support funding for the entire regional transit system.

The Illinois House Mass Transit Committee has passed a bipartisan bill that would provide funding and reform for the region's transit agencies, but Gov. Blagojevich has threatened a veto due to the measure's sales tax increase. "By standing in the way of a regional sales tax increase, which would provide adequate, sustainable funding for transit, the governor will do more harm than good to the region's working people and businesses," said MPC VP of External Relations PeterSkosey.

For more information, contact MPC Communications Associate Mandy Burrell, at 312-863-6018 or mburrell@metroplanning.org; or Skosey, at 312 .863.6004 or pskosey@metroplanning.org .

Green Buildings Give Rise to Green Neighborhoods in Illinois

Whether motivated by personal finances (i.e. sky-high gas prices) or global stewardship (i.e. An Inconvenient Truth ), more and more local leaders realize that careful planning is key to being able to accommodate some 2 million new residents expected in the Chicago area by 2030. Marking a shift away from costly, energy-hungry development patterns, the Illinois General Assembly recently became the first in the U.S. to pass legislation supporting "green" neighborhoods that meet the strict standards of the LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) program.

At a July roundtable discussion, co-hosted by the Campaign for Sensible Growth and Northwest Municipal Conference, and sponsored by VOA Associates, panelists will discuss why the market wants more green communities and what municipalities can do to get these projects done. They'll also discuss the new Green Neighborhood Award Act (SB 135), which will, if appropriated, provide incentives for development projects in Illinois that are consistent with LEED-ND standards of the U.S. Green Building Council . LEED-ND takes the highly successful LEED standards for sustainable buildings to the next level by creating standards to achieve energy-efficient neighborhoods through the core principles of sensible growth, such as promoting housing near jobs, services and transit, and improving access to open space.

The roundtable will take place Tuesday, July 17, 2007, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Oakton Community College, Conference Center Dining Room, 160 E. Golf Road , Des Plaines, Ill. Participants can register and pay online at growingsensibly.org. Media may attend free of charge, but should register through Mandy Burrell, at 312-863-6018 or mburrell@metroplanning.org .

New Initiative in North and Northwest Suburbs Will Help Workers Afford Homes

When Maria Ortiz, a switchboard operator for Pace Bus Co. in northwest suburban Arlington Heights, began renting an apartment in nearbyMount Prospect, the late President Ronald Reagan was in office. Twenty-two years – and three presidents – later, Ortiz, a single, working mother, finally has a home of her own, thanks to Mt.Prospect's first-time homebuyer program.

Ortiz, 46, makes less than $40,000 a year, and represents the typical employee who has found great job opportunities, but little to no affordable housing in the north and northwest suburbs. While the standard conviction is that, if an employee saves her money for long enough, then she eventually will be able to afford the downpayment on a home, that's just not the reality for Ortiz and many others. "I was even saving money," said Ortiz, of her two decades of renting. Yet it wasn't until she received a $10,000 forgivable loan through Mt.Prospect 's first-time homebuyer program that she was able to afford a condominium in MountProspect.

Across the region, thousands of employees, like Ortiz, are working hard but need help to become homeowners. That's why MPC teamed up with Charter One Bank, Housing Opportunity Development Corporation, and 10 north and northwest suburban mayors to encourage more local companies to invest in programs like employer-assisted housing to help their workers afford homes. Through the Charter One Workforce Housing Initiative, employers large and small in Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Highland Park, Highwood, Lake Forest, Mt. Prospect, Northbrook, Palatine and Rolling Meadows are discovering how they can benefit by investing in workforce housing solutions. For information on the Charter One Workforce Housing Initiative, contact Mandy Burrell, at 312.863.6018 or mburrell@metroplanning.org.

Meet the MPC Staff: MPC's Roberto Requejo Helps Bridge Divides in Public Housing Arena

Before moving to the U.S. from hisnative Spain, Roberto Requejo, MPC housing associate, had already earned a master's degree in the on-the-ground connection between urban development and political corruption and patronage. He could have chosen to move to any U.S. city to study urban planning and initiate change, but he choseChicago. Today, he is instrumental in managing MPC's role as both monitor and partner of the Chicago Housing Authority Plan for Transformation.

Since 2003, Requejo has served as MPC's housing associate in charge of the Council's Public Housing in the Public Interest Initiative . In addition to partnering with the CHA, Requejo also works closely with other housing authorities across the region and with the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development; and brings together policymakers, developers, service providers, community-based organizations, and researchers to ensure low-income families in the region are able to enjoy quality homes in areas with economic opportunity.

Requejo earned bachelor's and master's degrees in public policy from the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, and a master's degree in urban planning and policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Before joining MPC, the Galicia, Spain, native worked for the American Planning Association providing planning advice for municipalities all across the country; and as a project manager for the Chicago Association of Neighborhood Development Organizations. "Seeing things happen on the ground, and being able to go to places such as Oakwood Shores and see the new homes and schools and know that I had a part in making that happen" is what Requejo says he enjoys most about his work here in Chicago. If you're working on stories related to public housing, contact Requejo at 312.863.6015 or rrequejo@metroplanning.org.

But to truly live up to the dream of full access, people need more than an available computer that has Internet access.  They need training, business opportunities, mentors, and a high quality education that prepares them for the future.

That is why this new report,  The City that NetWorks: Transforming Society and Economy Through Digital Excellence is so important. Julia Stasch, vice president of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, chaired this advisory council for Mayor Richard M. Daley.  The Metropolitan Planning Council served on the council, bringing a perspective of community development and small business access and training that is greatly needed in the city's neighborhoods.

The report recommends a number of strategies, including a Campaign for Digital Excellence, and a Partnerhsip for a Digital Chicago.  These initiatives would mobilize the private sector to work with the City of Chicago and related agencies to provide leadership and resources to expand digital inclusion for all sectors of our society.

For a copy of the report, visit the City of Chicago Web site at:http://egov.cityofchicago.org/publicwifi

"Building Successful Mixed-Income Communities" Forums

The success of the Chicago Housing Authority Plan for Transformation (CHA) is greatly dependent on the goal of creating economically diverse, healthy communities. Throughout 2008, MPC invites you to explore how housing developers, policymakers, community-based organizations, and every Chicago resident can contribute to the success of these neighborhoods. The forums are co-sponsored by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with CHA.

• MPC public housing forum revisits the rehabs (February 2008)
• "Supporting residents through workforce development and employment opportunities" (November 2007)
• "Reconnecting neighborhoods through economic development and transit enhancement" (July 2007)
• "It takes a neighborhood to design a mixed-income community" (March 2007)
• "CHA connects residents to employers, education and training programs" (December 2006)
• "Strategies for successful resident involvement in mixed-income communities" (August 2006)
• "How to plan for economic transformation" (March 2006)
• "Inspiring stories form Portland and Chicago highlight the importance of coordinating public housing redevelopment and school reform efforts" (November 2005)
• "National and local expert discuss job placement, training and workforce development strategies within the framework of the CHA Plan for Transformation" (July 2005)
• "Forum on community building and mixed-income housing draws more than 200 attendees" (February 2005)
• "Public forum explores the role of parks and community centers in the creation of healthy mixed-income communities" (August 2004)
• "Commercial development and job opportunities, key elements for the success of the mixed-income communities created by the CHA Plan for Transformation" (May 2004)
• "Chicago and Atlanta share lessons learned on education and quality schools" (February 2004)
• "The Future of Public Housing: A National Perspective on Creating Succesful Mixed Income Communities" (October 2003) 

Plan for Transformation Updates, Progress Reports and Fact Sheets by MPC 

• Plan for Transformation February 2008 Update (development status of renovated family properties, scattered sites, and new mixed-income communities)
• CHA Plan for Transformation July 2007 Update (importance of transit to the viability of mixed-income communities)
• CHA Plan for Transformation December 2006 Update (status of workforce development for residents)
• CHA Plan for Transformation August 2006 Update (status of community building, services and resident engagement strategies in mixed-income communities)
• CHA Plan for Transformation November 2005 Update  (status of affordable homes development within mixed-income communities)
• CHA Plan for Transformation July 2005 Update (resident services and self-sufficiency goals)
• CHA Plan for Transformation December 2004 Progress report (factors for success around mixed-income communities: schools and youth programs, economic development and community space)
• CHA Plan for Transformation July 2004 Progress report (development status of new mixed-income communities; CHA scattered sites and renovated family properties; and "destination communities" where significant numbers of public housing residents are relocating while their homes are being redeveloped or rehabbed)
• CHA Plan for Transformation July 2003 Progress Report (status of relocation process and supportive services)
• CHA Plan for Transformation April 2003 Progress Report (status of redevelopment, demolition and resident relocation and lease-compliance)
• MPC Fact Sheet #4: Examining the Chicago Housing Authority's Redevelopment Strategy (November 2002)
• MPC Fact Sheet #3: Examining the Chicago Housing Authority's Relocation Efforts (February 2002)
• MPC Fact Sheet #2: Examining the Chicago Housing Authority's Proposed Service Connector Model (June 2001)
• MPC Fact Sheet #1: Chicago Housing Authority Transformation Plan Update (October 2000)

MPC Articles About the CHA Plan for Transformation

• "Feeling good in the new neighborhood" (Summer 2007, MPC's Regional Connection newsletter)
• "Transforming the Chicago Housing Authority"  (March 2007, Urban Land) (link to PDF)
• "Service Connector agencies offer view of working with housing choice voucher holders" (September 2006)
• "Service Connector program adds new contracts and expands focus on workforce development" (June 2006)
• "MidSouth Directory catalogs services available to relocating CHA residents" (March 2006)
• "CHA boosts funding for Service Connector program up to $20.5 million in 2005" (November 2004)
• "Mixed-Income Communities in Chicago: New, Attractive Housing in Great Locations" (May 2004)
• "New Service Connector program serves 11,000 public housing households" (March 2004)
• "New CHA Web site and Virtual Service Connector launched as Transformation enters fifth year" (October 2003)
• "CHA stakeholders hear from plan's implementers at quarterly update" (September 2003) 
• "CHA takes first step to transform service connectors" (June 2003)
• "CHA unveils new strategy in response to recommendations" (June 2003)
• "Ground breaking and construction to begin at four CHA sites" (September 2002)
• "CHA stakeholders explore new possibilities for moves to opportunity" (September 2002)
• "CHA re-commits to diverse and inclusive communities" (June 2002)
• "CHA manages expectations at stakeholders meeting" (February 2002)
• "Chicago Housing Authority Transformation Plan Update" (November 2000)

Research and Evaluations of CHA's Plan for Transformation, Service Connector and Relocation Programs

• "Stepping Out" (February 2006), a report by the Illinois Facilities Fund with recommendations for developing community facilities in mixed-income communities resulting from CHA's Plan for Transformation in Chicago's Mid-South and West Side communities.
• The Relocation Information Center Feasibility Study (September 2004) by Beauty Turner and Gabriel Piemonte, published by We The People Media, includes summaries of hundreds of residents affected by the CHA Plan for Transformation.
• "Chicago Public Housing Transformation" (2004), by Sudhir Venkatesh
• The Resident Relocation Survey (April 2003), created by  the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago (NORC), is the first study to gather data from and about those families most affected by the CHA relocation process.
• Temporary Relocation, Permanent Choice: Serving Families With Vouchers During the Chicago Housing Authority Plan for Transformation (April 2003) by Kale Williams, Loyola University Chicago; Paul Fischer, Lake Forest College; and Mary Ann Russ, Abt Associates
• "The Robert Taylor Homes Relocation Study" (2002), by Sudhir Venkatesh

CHA Annual Plans and Reports  

• CHA Transformation Plan Year 1 through Year 9 Reports
• CHA Annual Reports (FY2000-FY2007)

Research and Materials on Mixed-Income Housing and the HOPE VI Program

• "Mixed-Income Communities in Chicago," a brochure explaining the concept of mixed-income housing and answering frequently asked questions. Also available in Spanish: "Comunidades de Ingresos Diversos en Chicago"
• "Is Mixed-Income Development an Antidote to Urban Poverty?" (2006), by Mark Joseph in Housing Policy Debate, Vol 17, Issue 2. Comments from Alan Berube, Patrick M. Costigan, and Lawrence J. Vale .
• "Resident Success in Economically Integrated, Socially Diverse Housing: a Practitioner's Guide Prepared for the Ford Foundation Mixed-Income/Mixed-Race Housing Initiative" (2006), by Patrick Costigan and Leo Quigley 
• "Resilient Children: Literature Review abd Evidence from the HOPE VI Panel Study" (2005), a report by the Urban Institute on children affected by HOPE VI redevelopment.
• "HOPE VI and Mixed-Finance Redevelopments: A Catalyst for Neighborhood Renewal" (2005), a Brookings Institution report by Mindy Turbov and Valerie Piper.
• "Moving Over or Moving Up? Short-Term Gains and Losses for Relocated HOPE VI Families" (2004), by Susan Clampet-Lundquist.
• "Metropolitan Housing and Communities: A Roof Over Their Heads" (2004): A collection of reports by a team of researchers from the Urban Institute examines the impact of the HOPE VI program on families and neighborhoods around the country.
• "Public Housing: HOPE VI Resident Issues and Changes in Neighborhoods Surrounding Grant Sites"(2003): A report by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO)
• "Linking Housing and Public Schools in the HOPE VI Public Housing Revitalization Program: A Case Study Analysis of Four Developments in Four Cities" (2003), by J. Raffel, L. Denson, D. Varady and S. Sweeney  
• "Mixed-Income Housing Developments: Promise and Reality" (2002) by Alastair Smith, Harvard University
• "HOPE VI: Community Building Makes A Difference" (2000): An early report by HUD examining the best practices that have emerged from the community-building and supportive services side of HOPE VI.
• "The Redevelopment of Distressed Public Housing: Early Results from HOPE VI Projects in Atlanta, Chicago and San Antonio" (1999) by Jerry Salama in Housing Policy Debate, Vol 10 Issue 1.
• "Starting Over and Doing It Right" (1999), by Mindy Turbov and Patrick Barry
• "Mixed-Income Housing: Factors for Success" (1997), by Paul Brophy and Rhonda Smith

Research and Materials on Resident Services and Community Building

Supportive services, human capital development and community building are important components of creating successful and viable mixed-income communities. The following resources, many from the affordable housing industry, are relevant to the ongoing efforts to provide programs and services for residents in CHA mixed-income communities.

• "Resident Success in Economically Integrated, Socially Diverse Housing: a Practitioner's Guide Prepared for the Ford Foundation Mixed-Income/Mixed-Race Housing Initiative" (2006), by Patrick Costigan and Leo Quigley
• "Building Opportunities for Families into Affordable Housing: How States are Using the Housing Credit to Encourage Resident Services" (2006)
  by James Tassos
• "Creating Opportunities for Families Through Resident Services: A Practitioner's Manual" (2006) by Diana Meyer, Trevor Britt, Sabina Cardenas, David Fromm, Ian Kennedy, Patricia Magnuson, Rich Petersen
• "More Than Roof and Walls: Why Resident Services are an Indispensable Part of Affordable Housing" (2006) by Tony Proscio

• "Program Costs and Staffing Benchmarks for Planning Resident Services for Families" (2006) by Gore Flynn, Enterprise Resources Corporation

• Resident Services for Families in Affordable Housing: A Background Paper (2005) prepared by Carl Sussman and edited by Diana Meyer for The Resident Services Symposium co-hosted by The Enterprise Foundation and Neighborhood Reinvestment on March 31, 2005 in Washington, D.C.

• "Footing the bill for vital services for affordable workforce housing residents" (May 2005)

Regional Partnerships

Regional partnerships are another critical component of MPC's public housing work. 

The Regional Housing Initiative is an innovative effort to spur quality mixed-income housing development, offering a competitive edge for Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) tax credits to developers of housing that meets the regional Housing Endorsement Criteria recently adopted by the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. The housing authorities of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties and of Chicago, with MPC and IHDA, are co-sponsors of the Regional Housing Initiative.

• "Regional Housing Initiative Offers Funding to Developers and Owners of Rental Housing in Cook, Lake and McHenry Counties" (March 2006)

MetroLinks for Jobs and Housing is a pilot project designed to address the challenges facing families, government and service providers in a new public assistance environment, including the regional factors affecting the efforts of families seeking affordable housing and jobs.

• "MetroLinks for Jobs and Housing: Housing Assistance to Families Moving from Welfare toWork" (November 2000)

Project Opportunity is an initiative that helps property owners to acquire and rent single-family homes and other small buildings to families wanting to use Housing Choice Vouchers in neighborhoods located near jobs and transit.

• "New resources available to expand Project Opportunity for developers and owners" (November 2004)

Related Web Sites on Public Housing 

• Business and Professional People for the Public Interest
• Center for Community Change
• Chicago Housing Authority
• Chicago Reporter Online
• Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
• Housing Research Foundation
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials