Governor Rauner Outlines Plan for Transformation at Annual Affordable Housing Conference
Addresses Housing Industry Leaders on Job Creation, Education and Delivering Value for Taxpayers throughout the State
CHICAGO – April 17, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Governor Bruce Rauner spoke today at the Illinois Governor’s Conference on Affordable Housing where he discussed the need to build a new Illinois and issued a call to action for smarter financial strategies that invest in the future of the state. Addressing an audience of more than 600 housing industry leaders and elected officials, the Governor touched on the major goals of his agenda to transform Illinois, calling for accountability and collaboration between the state and its private sector partners.
“My administration’s top priorities are to deliver greater value for taxpayers, increase access to jobs and education, and create stronger financial foundations for families and communities,” Governor Rauner said. “Effective housing policy will help us build a more prosperous Illinois, providing a cost-effective boost to our economic growth and serving the long-term interests of households and businesses throughout the state.”
Co-hosted by the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and the Illinois Housing Council (IHC), the annual conference brings together experts from throughout the housing industry to share the strategies and best practices that shape the way the state of Illinois finances, builds and manages affordable housing. Today, the event featured a discussion between Congressmen Danny Davis (7th) and Mike Quigley (5th) on the legislation that will impact economic development under the 114th Congress, as well as a keynote address from Professor Sandra J. Newman of the Johns Hopkins University on the role of housing in the lives of children and adults.
“The Governor’s Conference provides a venue for representatives from IHC’s 250 member organizations to discuss best practices for overcoming barriers to economic growth,” IHC Executive Director Andrea Traudt Inouye said. “The sharing of information and continuing education about the changing housing industry helps us transform Illinois through the construction and preservation of affordable housing.”
The Conference also honors innovation from the state’s partners who make outstanding use of limited resources in their approach to make Illinois a better place to live and work. Bridget Gainer,
Commissioner of Cook County’s 10th District was named IHDA’s Public Servant of the Year for her leadership as Chair of the Cook County Land Bank, the region’s most comprehensive policy to reduce the impact of vacant land and abandoned buildings. Heartland Housing’s Town Hall Apartments was selected as the most outstanding development of 2015 for its innovative transformation of a former police station into Chicago’s first LGBTQ-friendly housing complex for seniors.
“IHDA shares Governor Rauner’s focus on providing Illinois households with the value they deserve from state government,” IHDA Executive Director Mary R. Kenney said. “By responsibly increasing housing affordability for working families, we can make Illinois a more competitive state with better access to jobs, education and opportunity.”
About the Illinois Housing Development Authority
IHDA (www.ihda.org) is a self-supporting state agency that finances the creation and the preservation of affordable housing across Illinois. In 2014, IHDA invested over $1.5 billion in 14,000 units of affordable housing, generating an estimated 8,000 jobs and infusing $450 million into the Illinois economy. Since its creation in 1967, IHDA has allocated $14.6 billion and financed approximately 245,000 affordable housing units for residents of Illinois.
