Stable and affordable housing is critical to all aspects of a family’s well-being and a city’s economic prosperity. For too long, the Chicago city government has failed to provide the needed range of quality housing options, thus exacerbating homelessness and segregation, while undermining workforce stability and forcing low and moderate-income Chicagoans from their neighborhoods and the city. In 2016, the demand in Chicago for housing that is affordable outstripped supply by nearly 120,000 units, and the gap is growing. The city must prioritize the construction, preservation, and renovation of housing that is affordable to local workers and prevent homelessness and overcrowding by expanding the tools available to address these issues.

Prioritizing the construction, preservation, and renovation of housing that is affordable requires leadership and an administration willing to act as a real partner with the numerous organizations that stand ready to provide rental and homeownership opportunities for low and moderate-income Chicagoans. The administration will lead on this front and be a partner with those seeking to provide more housing that is affordable in Chicago so people can stay in their neighborhoods, schools, and jobs.