LCHA manages the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program—formerly known as the
Section 8 program—that provides rent assistance in privately owned rental units for lowincome individuals and families. As of late 2013, the LCHA had issued 2,803 HCVs,
plus 263 total project-based vouchers (in which the assistance is assigned to the site).
Project-based vouchers (PBVs) are currently dedicated by LCHA to subsidizing 20 units
for victims of domestic violence in Zion, 59 units for low-income families in Zion, and
186 units for seniors in Grayslake, Antioch, and Zion. LCHA’s HCV waiting list has been
closed and contained 1,825 households at the end of 2013, of which 42 percent were
families with children, 38 percent were families with disabilities, and 59 percent were
non-White.
To assist in expanding the supply of units available to HCV holders, the LCHA
participates in the State Tax Abatement Program, whereby eligible properties, based on
location, can receive reduced tax rates, thus incentivizing the landlord to rent to HCV
holders. As noted in the LCHA Five-Year Plan, the Housing Authority is planning to
submit an application to HUD to convert public housing units to PBVs under the Rental
Assistance Demonstration Program.
State of Illinois Affordable Housing Planning and Appeals Act
In 2003, the State of Illinois passed the Illinois Affordable Housing Planning and
Appeals Act to encourage the inclusion of more affordable housing in communities
across the state. Specifically, the Act provides that at least 10 percent of a community’s
housing stock should be affordable; communities with an affordable housing share of
less than 10 percent are defined as “non-exempt.”
Of the 68 non-exempt communities in Illinois identified in 2013, 18 communities are
located in Lake County. Non-exempt communities were required to develop and
approve an affordable housing plan to be implemented toward the goal of increasing
affordable housing unit production. Some communities adopted plans that included
affordable housing development and financing tools such as inclusionary zoning or the
establishment of a trust fund. Others modified zoning ordinances to provide for more
affordable multifamily opportunities. Generally, these communities are also considered
higher opportunity areas, as related to housing values, proximity to jobs, and education;
thus, housing stock affordability is tangentially related to housing access by the
protected classes. A table of non-exempt communities in Lake County and the 2013
figure for affordable housing share is provided in the Appendix.
EMPLOYMENT
Historical Background on Employment in Lake County
Since the post-World War II period, Lake County communities have shifted from
Chicago-focused commuter towns to the formation of local economic centers. With a
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LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS