Experts have little hope that growing rent costs will stabilize anytime soon.

Writing in the Chicago Tribune, Dia Gill and Darcel Rockett describe Chicago’s housing crisis, which is forcing residents to make difficult choices in order to afford rising rents, which have gone up by 9 percent since 2021. As the authors note, “A combination of inflation and climbing demand for units as consumers emerge from the pandemic has driven up rents, with little to no sign that prices will reverse any time soon.”
Residents are coping in a variety of ways. While some have the resources to buy their own homes, others struggle to find affordable housing near the jobs and amenities they need. “Going forward, it is unclear if increasing the supply of units will ease rents, as inflation has driven construction costs up — and once renters land a unit downtown they aren’t as incentivized to leave as they were in 2020.”
Meanwhile, supply continues to remain low. “A report by Marcus & Millichap notes that for the first time since 2000, fewer than 18,000 units will be available in the downtown market this year, and the vacancy rate is expected to be less than half of the 2019 level.”
FULL STORY: Rents are going up, forcing Chicagoans to make lifestyle changes, or hunt for more affordable housing.

The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.

Bend Eliminates Parking Minimums
The city is complying with an Oregon state mandate that some cities have challenged in court.

How Virginia Counties Use Zoning to Stifle Development
Some state legislators are proposing action at the state level as counties block development using zoning and development requirements even as housing prices rise sharply in the region.

Seattle Brings Free Transit to Public Housing
Linking transit programs to housing can lower administrative costs and streamline the process for riders.

Columbus Could Lower Downtown Speed Limits
The city council will vote on a proposal to lower speed limits to 25 miles per hour to improve safety and make downtown more walkable and welcoming to pedestrians.

Traffic Safety Bills Proposed in Washington’s State Legislature
As traffic fatalities continue to climb in Washington and around the country, three proposed state bills would prohibit some right turns on red, reduce the BAC limit for DUI arrests, and require more young drivers to take driver’s education courses.
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York County, Human Resources
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Harvard GSD Executive Education
Harvard GSD Executive Education
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