The Cook County Assessor’s Office (CCAO) hosted its inaugural Neighborhood Housing Forum this week, bringing together developers, housing providers, nonprofit leaders, and other industry experts to discuss the state of housing in Chicago’s neighborhoods. A recording of the event is available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mX2xD-TaaE. The forum, held at the Discover Shine Bright Community Center in Chatham, featured opening remarks from Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi. The event came immediately after the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation to extend the CCAO’s Affordable Housing Special Assessment Program to 2034. AHSAP provides an incentive for housing providers and developers that preserve or create affordable housing across Cook County. A recent data analysis by the CCAO showed that more than 700 multifamily properties that participated in the first two years of AHSAP preserved over 10,000 units of affordable housing, saving $13 million in property taxes through the incentive. For more information about the Affordable Housing Special Assessment Program, visit www.cookcountyassessor.com/affordable-housing.

Photo Credit: Cook County Assessor’s Office