What happens when the people who grew up in our communities can no longer afford to live in them?

It is a question worth asking — not five or 10 years from now, but today.

Across the communities served by the Oak Park Area Association of REALTORS®, we are seeing a common challenge play out in diverse ways. Buyers are competing for too few homes. Prices continue to rise. And for many people, the path to homeownership is taking longer than it did for previous generations.

At the same time, many longtime homeowners are reaching a different stage of life. They would like to downsize but often discover there are surprisingly few options that allow them to remain in the communities they know and love.

This is where the conversation about middle housing becomes important.

Duplexes, townhomes, smaller multiunit buildings and other housing options between a detached single-family home and a large apartment or condo building can provide choices for people at various stages of life. A smaller home might be the first step onto the property ladder for one buyer and the ideal place to downsize for another.

But expanding housing options in established communities is anything but simple. Our communities have been shaped over generations, with distinctive architecture, mature neighborhoods and identities that residents understandably want to protect. When zoning changes are proposed, there are passionate voices on all sides — and those voices deserve to be heard. The challenge is finding balance.

Protecting what we value cannot mean refusing to consider what needs to change.

As Realtors, we have a unique perspective in this conversation. We see buyers lose out in multiple-offer situations. We see families priced out of neighborhoods where they hoped to put down roots. We see longtime homeowners struggling to find homes that better fit their changing needs.

And we see the consequences of limited inventory every day.

Many of us remember buying our first homes in our late 20s and early 30s. Today, the typical first-time buyer is 40 years old. That shift should make all of us stop and think. Delaying homeownership doesn’t just delay the purchase of a home — it delays the ability to build equity and accumulate wealth, potentially putting today’s buyers at a significant financial disadvantage over the long term.

The answer isn’t to eliminate single-family neighborhoods or assume that every community needs the same zoning solution. Nor is it to pretend that our housing needs haven’t changed. The answer lies somewhere in between.

OPAAR’s size is one of our greatest strengths. We know the communities we serve. We know our members. And we can build relationships directly with local decision-makers, municipal leaders and community stakeholders.

OPAAR has begun working with local municipalities through Illinois REALTORS®’ new Housing Accelerator Program to explore opportunities to encourage housing and identify barriers that may be limiting supply. We have also remained engaged on issues including zoning and transfer tax reform. Our goal isn’t to dictate what a community should look like. It is to make sure the Realtor perspective is part of the conversation, and that housing policy discussions are informed by what is happening in the marketplace.

Being a smaller association also allows us to be nimble. We can listen to what our members are experiencing, identify emerging issues and bring those concerns directly to the people making decisions in our communities. We can build relationships, have conversations and work toward solutions that recognize the unique character and needs of each community.

As OPAAR transitions from one president to the next, we are committed to building on this work. We will also continue investing in education, meaningful networking, accessible leadership and programming designed around the needs of our members.

Ultimately, this conversation isn’t about choosing between preserving our communities and changing them. It is about asking how we can do both. If we want our communities to remain vibrant for the next generation, we must make sure there is room for that generation to live here.

As we look toward the future, we believe our greatest value may be exactly what it has always been: bringing people together, giving our members a voice and helping our communities navigate change.

The conversation about the future of housing is already happening. We believe Realtors should be part of it.

Cynthia Howe-Gajewski is the immediate past president and Linda Rooney is the current president of the Oak Park Area Association of REALTORS^®.