Benefits of Affordable Housing

A home, whether you own or rent, is not just a roof over your head. It's the place where you live your life, where you raise your children, share time with loved ones, enjoy the company of friends and neighbors, and build your dreams. Most people in America take housing for granted. However, for many others, owning a home or having a safe, secure, comfortable, and affordable place to live, is a distant dream. A stable home is the beginning for many other things in our lives. If you're constantly moving from one location to the next, trading off paying a mortgage or rent for buying groceries, fearing for the safety of yourself and your family, living in temporary shelters – how can you raise your children, take care of yourself, function on the job, and contribute to your community? Unfortunately, that is the reality for many families and individuals in our society.

The governor, state legislature, participants in the housing industry, and members of the Housing Task Force recognize the importance – indeed, the necessity – of an adequate supply of affordable housing for citizens of Illinois. They see affordable housing not as an expense, but as an investment in the growth and stability of our families and communities. Adequate and affordable housing contributes to Illinois by:

• Promoting strong families and individual success.
• Building local communities–not just businesses, but also schools, parks and playgrounds, charities, and places of worship.
• Contributing to the growth and well-being of the state's economy.

Benefits to Families and Households

The impact of stable, affordable housing on people's lives is immeasurable. For many families and individuals, an affordable home is a matter of self-respect and self-esteem. Affordable housing has a ripple effect on people's lives. For example, when affordable housing and supportive services are available:

• Young couples just starting out can devote more of their financial resources to raising their families.
• Working adults who experience temporary problems, such as the loss of a job, can manage changes better when they are not overburdened with high housing costs.
• Seniors can maintain their self-respect and live active lives in the communities they want.
• People with disabilities can choose to live independently, instead of in more restrictive institutional environments.

These are very real stories that happen every day in our state. Importantly, the outcome of these stories does not have to be financial struggle and instability. With cooperation and wise investments in affordable housing and housing assistance, families and individuals can have safe, secure, and affordable homes.

Benefits to Local Communities

Just as safe, stable, and affordable housing is the bedrock of the family or individual, it is also a core ingredient in a strong and prosperous community. Neighborhoods with a range of quality housing options have lower crime rates, better performing schools, stronger local economies, and a better overall quality of life. The best communities have an adequate supply of housing located near jobs, schools, shopping, and places of worship. Today, because of a lack of quality affordable housing in some urban, suburban, and rural communities, many people must commute long distances to and from work each day. This adds a tremendous amount of infrastructure cost to cities, counties, and the state, while contributing to traffic congestion and poor air quality.

The lack of affordable housing near jobs in some areas also means that hundreds of thousands of people leave their communities each day, spending their time and money elsewhere. Investments in affordable and mixed-income residential housing in areas of high employment help keep cities and neighborhoods vibrant and economically strong. Businesses benefit, as workers shop for food, services, and goods close to home and work; schools benefit, since working parents can be closer to their children and be more involved in their education; employers benefit, with employees spending less time commuting to work and having fewer absences due to transportation problems; and families benefit, because moms and dads spend more time with their children and less time traveling to and from work. Ultimately, communities win when there is an adequate supply of affordable housing for all citizens.

Benefits to the State

In addition to the benefits to communities highlighted above, home ownership and stable housing for those who rent has a positive impact on the economy of the state as a whole. The recent report Opportunity and Progress: A Bipartisan Platform for National Housing Policy states that an adequate supply of affordable housing is a key factor that companies consider when locating or expanding their business. Indeed, affordable housing gives states a competitive advantage in attracting investment. Quality affordable housing also attracts workers to fill the jobs created, which adds further to the local and state tax base. In addition to providing shelter, the housing industry provides thousands of residents with jobs and generates millions of dollars of economic output every year.

[ Table of Contents | Housing Needs of Priority Populations]

See THIS PDF for the 2005 Illinois Comprehensive Housing Plan - Building for Success

See THIS PDF for a news release about the completion of the 2005 Illinois Comprehensive Housing Plan - Building for Success

See THIS PDF for the 2005 Progress Report

See THIS PDF for a news release about the 2005 Progress Report