Homes for a Changing Region

Homes for a Changing Region is a report supporing the work of the federal Sustainable Communities grant in Chicago.  The report provides technical assistance for municipal leaders to chart future demand and supply trends for housing in their communities and develop long-term housing policy plans. These plans aim to create a balanced mix of housing, serve current and future populations, and enhance livability.

Homes for a Changing Region includes the following components:

• Analysis of each community's existing housing supply that compares the type and price of housing stock to the age, income, and tenure (rental or owner-occupied) of the population.
• A subregional housing analysis that identifies opportunities and gaps in the housing profile and looks for opportunities for collaboration between neighboring communities.
• A workforce housing analysis that focuses on the match between the sub-region's key employment sectors and the existing housing stock.
• A market segmentation analysis that uses industry standard data to separate each community's housing markets into key household types. Our recommendations will focus on meeting the current and future needs of each segment, along with strategies for attracting targeted segments.
• Design, planning, and facilitation of one public workshop for each community.
• A series of policy and strategic recommendations for creating a balanced, sustainable future housing supply, along with targeted goals that can be used to determine a community's future progress in implementing the plan.
• Design visualizations for a focus area in each community.