A $20,000 grant was given to DuPage Homeownership Center to build capacity for their leadership efforts on the Homeownership Task Force (HTF).
The goal of the HTF is to identify and break down systemic barriers to increasing the supply of affordable housing. During the past year, with the Foundation’s support, DHOC has been the glue that has kept the county-wide group focused on this issue. They have bolstered the awareness of the need for affordable/workforce housing and gained support for the message that this is a moral/social as well as an economic development priority.
- HTF launched a campaign, Homeownership: Benchmark for a Vital Community, an effort which includes builders, developers, lenders, realtors, government officials, employers, and other community leaders to increase the supply of affordable workforce housing in DuPage. As part of the Benchmark campaign to educate the community, a Speakers Bureau was established and 15 individuals were trained to publicly speak about this effort. The goal of the speaker’s bureau is to dispel many of the myths and to change perceptions of what affordable housing is really about. More than 800 people throughout Dupage County have been reached through these presentations.
- DuPage Homeownership Center held two design charrettes to facilitate the development of mixed-use, mixed-income housing developments. In response to this effort, the city of Wheaton took specific actions by mandating that a portion of all housing developments that are in TIF districts be affordable and by incorporating affordable housing into the city’s strategic plan.
- HTF is working closely with DuPage County government officials to find solutions to the lack of affordable housing throughout the county. In response, one county board member facilitated a broad-based symposium on workforce housing. She brought together private sector organizations and builders, governmental departments and economic development players. She described the effort to create affordable housing in DuPage as similar to “pushing an elephant.” One person alone can’t move the elephant but the efforts of many can do so slowly.
- HTF is working with DuPage County officials to establish criteria and incentives for building affordable housing on county land which would provide real value to developers choosing to build such homes. This would include establishing a new zoning district which would allow reduced bulk regulations for housing projects that are considered affordable. Having these established bulk regulations in place would allow builders to hit the ground running instead of spending extra money and waiting months to get zoning permits. These savings are then able to be passed through to the home purchaser. In today’s economy, builders would be happy to build more affordable housing but cannot afford to do so because of the barriers that private developers currently encounter.
A $15,000 grant was given to DuPage United to build their capacity to expand their efforts to preserve and increase affordable housing.
DuPage United works to build a network of institutions that nurture and develop active citizens to take collective action for structural change and to build political will surrounding a variety of issues, including affordable housing. They often hear that elected officials are supportive of affordable housing but lack public support. With many issues on their agenda, they typically do not feel compelled to address issues that don’t seem important to their constituents. DuPage United members rally their forces to attend key city council meetings and planning and zoning meetings to show local politicians that housing affordability is an issue of great importance to residents. Their efforts to organize citizens have had a positive impact in several communities:
- In 2007, DuPage United organized a meeting with the mayoral and commissioner candidates for the Downers Grove Village council. At the meeting, candidates made specific commitments to address affordable housing in the village in front of 350 residents. Those that attended the meeting began to exert pressure on the elected officials to effect change. This citizen pressure prompted the Village of Downers Grove to appoint an Affordable Housing Ad Hoc Committee and hire an outside consultant to assess the housing needs. The Village is now updating its Comprehensive Plan to include revisions that allow for affordable housing opportunities.
- Organizing efforts in Naperville prompted the City to include affordable housing in its Strategic Plan for 2007-2008 and to hire an outside consultant to do a comprehensive study of residents and business to assess the housing needs in Naperville. DuPage United is currently working to integrate affordable housing into potential development opportunities with Naperville.
- Increased interest and participation from citizens in Downers Grove and Naperville has increased DuPage United’s ability to work at a county and state level. Along with their sister organizations, they are working to get $100 million a year allocated in the 2008 State capital budget for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
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