Illinois REALTORS® has partnered with local government and community leaders to launch the Illinois Housing Supply Accelerator Program to confront housing shortages head-on and accelerate the development of new homes. 

Governmental affairs directors will work directly with mayors, county leaders, planners, local officials and housing stakeholders to identify and remove barriers that are delaying or preventing new construction. 

“We’ve seen momentum building at the federal level, and we’ve seen state leaders recognize the severity of this supply crisis,” said Illinois REALTORS® President Jeff Kolbus. “Now, the battleground is local. Mayors are asking for help, developers are ready to build, and this program delivers the exact blueprint and leverage needed to turn policy intent into actual homes.”

The program is said to examine policies and practices that affect housing production, including zoning ordinances, development regulations and other local requirements.

“The housing shortage is worsening every day, and communities need tools they can use now,” said Illinois REALTORS® CEO Jeff Baker. “We are providing our expertise and our local relationships directly to communities to help them identify the barriers standing in the way of housing and to take meaningful steps to remove them. This is about moving from recognizing the problem to getting homes built.”

According to Illinois REALTORS®, Illinois currently faces a housing shortage of more than 142,000 homes. Over the next five years, 225,000 additional homes would need to be built just to keep up with demand.