Great Lakes Urban Exchange Spotlights South Suburban Housing Collaborative (MPC, MMC, SSMMA)

The Great Lakes Urban Exchange blog put a monthlong focus on the South Suburban Housing Collaborative, spurred by RHOPI partners Metropolitan Planning Council, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, and South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association. Check out the series of stories that resulted:
 

Issue Focus: Foreclosure Recovery in Chicago’s Suburbs: A True Story of Regional Collaboration
"Wisely, 17 communities in the south suburbs of Chicago did the math – and assessed their time-strapped staffs’ capacity to navigate NSP’s confusing regulations – and realized they would have a better shot at competing for and making the most of NSP dollars if they applied jointly for a shared pot of funds rather than go it alone.
Not only did they work together to submit a single application for funding, but local officials further spurned the all-too-common provincial mindset by prioritizing redevelopment that will link affordable homes with transit and economic development, in the areas hit hardest by foreclosure – even if that means the NSP award won’t fund proposals in their towns."
 
Issue Focus: Foreclosure Recovery in Chicago’s Suburbs: A Tangled but Terrific Web
 
"Municipal collaboration is unthinkable in many regions, in part because too often government programs are set up in a way that forces communities to compete for funds. But the South Suburban Housing Collaborative is making it work. Not only did they submit a single application for funding, but they also agreed upon a set of criteria to prioritize the investments they’ll focus on when they get the funding: They’re targeting the areas hit hardest by foreclosures, and also that are located along the Calumet River, an economic development corridor, and along a freight and public transit rail line that connects many of the towns. This way, they can stabilize their housing, while linking affordable homes with transit and jobs access – not only a benefit to the communities, but also to residents who can save money by reducing their transportation and housing expenses."
 

Issue Focus: Foreclosure Recovery in Chicago’s Suburbs: All for One and One for All

"Why collaborate rather than compete? To Morrissy, it’s simple when communities can see the benefits. Sometimes, it’s swapping ideas to save precious staff time from being frittered away only to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes, it’s sharing resources, such as, well, Janice, who was hired to work on behalf of all of the towns in the collaborative. And sometimes, it’s about strengthening a neighboring town, so that all of the communities’ markets stand a better chance of attracting new development."