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January 12, 2006 Highland Park, Illinois, Housing Effort Receives National Planning Award WASHINGTON, DC — Rapid redevelopment, escalating housing prices, and a diminishing supply of both vacant land and modestly priced housing, threatened the diversity of the community deeply cherished by residents of Highland Park, Illinois. With new home values exceeding $1 million, the city embarked on a two-year planning process designed to increase affordable housing options within the community. As a result of its successful initiatives, the City of Highland Park will receive the American Planning Association (APA) 2006 Current Topic Award for Housing Choice and Affordability. "While no single initiative is likely to generate a large number of affordable units in any given year, the complementary approach taken in Highland Park already is paying dividends," said Carol Rhea, AICP, chair of the APA Awards Committee. "The creation of a demolition tax, establishment of a community land trust, and adoption of an inclusionary zoning ordinance has greatly increased opportunities for developing affordable housing in the community," she said. The City of Highland Park's Affordable Housing Initiatives will be recognized at APA's National Planning Conference during a luncheon ceremony April 25 in San Antonio, Texas. In addition, a 30-minute video about all of APA's 2006 National Planning Awards recipients will be shown at the luncheon. Accomplishments of the awardees also will be highlighted in the March issue of Planning magazine. Following city council approval of an Affordable Housing Needs and Implementation Plan, numerous volunteer committees, city commissions and the council itself have worked to insure that the goals are realized. One of the first steps — in May 2002 — was to create an Affordable Housing Trust Fund to provide financial resources for affordable housing development. To finance the fund, Highland Park established a demolition tax on residential teardowns. The trust fund has approved grants totaling $875,000 and has a balance of roughly $1.3 million. The trust has led to the leveraging of other public and private funds for affordable housing development. Less than a year later, the city launched the Highland Park Illinois Community Land Trust. This private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization obtains land for the purpose of providing permanently affordable housing on its land. Its first project — a six-unit town home development for families — was completed in September 2004. Later that year, Highland Park became the first Illinois municipality to require that 20 percent of all units in developments with a residential component of five or more units be affordable. In December 2003, the city council amended its impact fee ordinance to allow the waiver of such fees in connections with the development of affordable units. With 11 affordable units completed and another 11 in the pipeline, Highland Park is beginning to see the fruits of its innovative approach. Other Illinois communities have recently begun to develop affordable housing plans as a result of state legislation mandating them in communities where less than 10 percent of the housing stock is affordable. "Highland Park's efforts serve as a template for other affluent communities as they struggle to provide affordable housing," said Rhea. "The city's experiences debunk the myth that it is impossible to add affordable units to the housing stock in affluent communities," she added. The APA National Awards for Planning are part of a proud tradition established more than 50 years ago, recognizing outstanding community plans, planning programs and initiatives, public education efforts, and individuals for their leadership on planning issues. Contacts |
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