West Cook County Housing Collaborative receives $2.9M HUD Sustainable Communities Challenge Grant

 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced the recipients of the 2011 Sustainable Communities Grants, totaling over $97 million. Twenty seven communities and organizations will receive Community Challenge grants and 29 regional areas will receive Regional Planning grants. The goal of the Sustainable Communities grants is to help communities and regions improve their economic competitiveness by connecting housing with good jobs, quality schools and transportation.
 
The West Cook County Housing Collaborative was awarded a $2.9 million Community Challenge Award Grant. The West Cook County Housing Collaborative (The “Collaborative”) is in its third year of existence and consists of five West Cook suburban communities immediately adjacent to the City of Chicago. The Collaborative’s efforts will create or update existing comprehensive plans for the five communities, allowing them to revisit outdated zoning and infrastructure plans that are impediments to transit-oriented, affordable housing development. The Collaborative will also create an acquisition/ predevelopment fund to support affordable housing, preservation and development near transit stops in the five communities.
 
For more information about the West Cook County Housing Collaborative plans for the Community Challenge Award Grant, please click here and see page 12.
 
For more information about the Sustainable Communities Grants and other award recipients, please click here.