Josh Hawkins
Edna B. Williams-Foreman received homeownership counseling and down-payment assistance through the University of Chicago's employer-assisted housing program.
An Investment That Pays Many Times Over
Employer-assisted housing (EAH) is a generic term to describe any number of ways employers are investing in homes for the local workforce. By assisting employees to buy or rent homes close to work or transit, employers help reduce the long commutes that contribute to employee stress and fatigue, traffic congestion, U.S. dependence on foreign oil, and regional air pollution. Today’s unstable and unaffordable housing markets, as well as neighborhoods and families devastated by foreclosures, can further undermine worker productivity. In Illinois, thanks to a number of public incentives and nonprofit partners, participating companies find EAH to be a cost-effective and hassle-free way to improve workforce retention, recruitment and morale.
In addition to advancing policy recommendations to strengthen employer-assisted housing initiatives, MPC plays a hands-on role in EAH by working with employers and communities to design and implement customized EAH programs. MPC’s EAH initiative also is linked to northeastern Illinois' Commute Options pilot, through which numerous public and private partners are working together to help employers offer workers a range of transportation choices (including EAH), so they don’t have to drive solo to and from work.
Eligible employees participating in their employers' EAH programs may be able to take advantage of the Illinois Housing Development Authority's Smart Moves First-time Homebuyer Program, to access additional funds for downpayment assistance.
Articles
- MPC by the Numbers: 2012 Edition
-
- What a year 2012 has been! Just as news outlets look back at the year in headlines, here at MPC we think there's value in taking a moment to reflect on the milestones we've reached over the past 12 months. MPC by the Numbers is a numeric snapshot of these accomplishments, drawn primarily from data…
- Chicago employers unlock gridlock, achieve sustainability goals, support neighborhood recovery through Commute Options, Employer-Assisted Housing
-
- The average American spends 50 minutes a day traveling to and from work—and most of us would like our commutes to be shorter, cheaper and less stressful. Several Chicago employers are helping ease this daily burden for employees while bolstering their corporate sustainability…
- Demographics as Destiny
-
- By Guest Author
- Sep 3, 2011
- For Release Saturday, September 3, 2011 Citiwire.net
Tom Downs is chairman of the North American Board of Veolia Transportation and a former president of Amtrak. His e-mail is tmdowns1@aol.com.
The new demographics are found in two generations deeply influenced by suburbia. First there’s…
Housing affordability still a challenge-
- The weak housing market – and the massive “shadow” inventory of homes weighing heavily upon it – has given some the idea that homes have become more affordable. But has affording the roof over their head really become easier for most people? I recently attended a panel…
MPC and Illinois Association of REALTORS® partner for EAH-
- This summer, MPC co-taught two National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) courses on Employer-Assisted Housing (EAH). Sponsored by the Illinois Association of REALTORS® and Partnership for HomeOwnership Foundation, the course was available to association leadership in the Chicago region in…
More related articles »
Multimedia
- Aurora Health Care Employer-Assisted Housing Program
-
- Through a partnership with Select Milwaukee, Aurora Health Care has helped more than 350 employees buy homes in Milwaukee, Wisc. The hospital provides $3,000 in down payment assistance, as well as financial and homebuyer counseling (services provided by the nonprofit Select Milwaukee). Benefits to…
2012 Plan for Prosperity: Innovative Solutions for the New Normal-
- Publication
- (1 MB)
- Jan 12, 2012
- To read MPC's 2012 Plan for Prosperity, download the file. The following is MPC President MarySue Barrett's introductory letter.
Sometimes, things aren’t what they seem. For decades, the United States enjoyed what appeared to be boundless economic expansion. Consumers spent and borrowed…
Beyond the Neighborhood Stabilization Program: How Foreclosure Recovery Can Foster Sustainable Communities-
- Listen to this recording of MPC's Feb. 15, 2011, roundtable, “Beyond the Neighborhood Stabilization Program: How Foreclosure Recovery Can Foster Sustainable Communities." The roundtable featured a panel discussion between Antonio Riley, the newly appointed midwest regional administrator for…
- Keepers and Seekers: The Next Mayor's Priorities for a Prosperous Metropolitan Region
-
- Publication
- (3 MB)
- Jan 31, 2011
- MPC believes a healthy, prosperous region— and its core city—is competitive, equitable and sustainable. In the fall of 2010, we compiled a list of economic development, infrastructure and housing-related challenges the next mayor will face in achieving this goal. The following briefing…
Plan for Prosperity: 2011 Policy Objectives-
- MPC's Plan for Prosperity 2011 is our policy objectives guide for the year. Focusing on creating a more sustainable, equitable, and competitive region, this guide details MPC's recommendations on how to make our communities more livable for all of metropolitan Chicago's residents.
More related multimedia »
Collaborators
Partners
City of Chicago
Housing Action Illinois
Illinois Dept. of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
Illinois Housing Development Authority
Metropolitan Mayors Caucus
Funders
Charter One Foundation
Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
The Chicago Community Trust
City of Chicago Dept. of Housing and Economic Development
The F.B. Heron Foundation
The Harris Family Foundation
Ford Foundation
The Northern Trust Company
Polk Bros. Foundation