Lake County coalition unveils housing action plan at regional summit

A coalition of more than 175 Lake County leaders recently gathered for a housing summit to unveil a comprehensive Call to Action, designed to address the county’s shortage of more than 16,000 homes.

Lake County faces a housing crisis. With median home values reaching $326,600 and average rents at $1,710, teachers, health care professionals, first responders and young families increasingly are unable to afford to live where they work, officials said.

The diverse collective, including leaders from Lake County municipalities, developers, employers, nonprofits and more, aim to develop a road map to expand housing options for working families, seniors and young professionals.

The Call to Action represents seven months of collaboration among elected officials from more than 50 municipalities, planning staff, developers, major employers, nonprofit housing providers and community advocates. Through a kick-off celebration, five intensive workshops and last week’s summit, participants moved from identifying barriers to establishing a shared vision and goals that address the widening gap between Lake County’s housing supply and demand.

Attendees heard how the Call to Action connects to broader regional planning efforts through CMAP’s Century Plan, participated in an expert panel discussion exploring housing challenges and solutions across sectors and celebrated the coalition’s collaborative achievements. The panel, moderated by Kevin Considine of Lake County Partners, featured: Brenda O’Connell, Illinois Housing Development Authority; Chalen Daigle, McHenry County Council of Governments; David Bach, Hines; Joel Fontane, city of Highland Park; and Rob Anthony; Community Partners for Affordable Housing.

“Affordable and attainable housing isn’t optional; it’s essential to the health of our communities and our economy,” Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart in opening remarks. “Today, we have a shared vision and a clear road map going forward to help ensure that the teachers, health care workers and first responders who serve our communities and the young families building their lives here can afford to call Lake County home.”

North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham Jr., Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham and Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering also were present for the official unveiling of the Call to Action and coalition member commitments.

The summit served as the kickoff to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s event series for The Century Plan, the next long-range vision for northeastern Illinois. The Call to Action is available at housinglakeco.com.