Since Joining Forces for Affordable Housing started in 2016, we have actively contributed to the following changes in north suburban Cook County through advocacy and lobbying:
- Addition of more than 75 new units to the stock of affordable housing in suburban Cook County (in process and/or completed). See our Development Tracker for specifics.
- Strengthening the City of Evanston's Inclusionary Housing Ordinance to require a portion of affordable units on-site in new residential developments and a higher in-lieu fee amount.
- Quarterly City of Evanston Council meetings with a focus on affordable housing.
- Appointment of a new Affordable Housing Plan Steering Committee in Evanston, tasked with creating a new affordable housing plan.
- Changes to the City of Evanston's rules and regulations to allow more creation and use of ancillary dwelling units such as coach houses and garden apartments, in an effort to pave the way for affordability measures.
- Completion of a feasibility study on affordable assisted-living units, commissioned and financed through efforts of the City of Evanston's Age-Friendly Task Force, which has since become a committee of Joining Forces.
- Engagement of several Leagues of Women Voters in north suburban Cook County in affordable housing advocacy through use of our Affordable Housing Advocacy Toolkit.
- Creation and delivery of an Affordable Housing curriculum at Loyola Academy, delivered two years in a row.
- A vote by the Wilmette Village Board to adopt the Cook County increase in minimum wage, where they had initially used their Home Rule status to maintain the minimum wage at then current rates.
- Re-establishment of the Village of Wilmette Housing Commission.
- Collection of community input on fair housing in north suburban Cook County for the County's 2020 Fair Housing Assessment.
