One Chicago organization is working to promote the rehabilitation and maintenance of naturally occurring affordable housing, a valuable—and vulnerable—source of affordable housing units.

Hadassah Patterson, writing in Next City, reminds the reader that new construction only makes up roughly one quarter of the affordable housing market. “The rest is comprised of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing, or NOAH, which falls between subsidized housing and high-rent buildings.” The city of Chicago, Patterson writes, lost 10 percent of its NOAH between 2012 and 2019, putting this reliable source of affordable housing in peril.
“One Chicago CDFI [community development financial institution] has been working to preserve that housing for decades. Called Community Investment Corporation (CCI), they have a wide range of programs, including their Troubled Building Initiative, to support the acquisition, rehabilitation and preservation of affordable rental housing.” That initiative, which dates back 20 years,
“is aimed at unresponsive landlords. Instead of the city of Chicago filing code violations, TBI pulls together multiple city departments including housing, police and building, to identify at-risk structures and appoint CIC as a stakeholder to make repairs.”
“CIC also brings together multiple organizations to collaborate on strategies, policies and programs to preserve affordable housing through its Preservation Compact. Preservation Compact is home to a $48 million acquisition pool for 1-4 unit buildings, and a $34 million low-cost financing fund for affordability in higher-cost markets.” The group advocated for tax relief for multifamily housing projects, “which incentivizes low- to moderate-income owners to improve buildings while keeping them affordable. This is critical to preserving more locally-owned NOAH stock as national markets face speculation from aggressive investment groups without stake in community stability. ”
FULL STORY: When Preserving Affordable Housing Is Cheaper Than Building It

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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