Housing Plan

In February 2011, the Village began working with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, the Metropolitan Planning Council, and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning to prepare a housing policy action plan for the Village.  This effort was undertaken as a regional endeavor, including the municipalities of Hazel Crest, Lansing, and Olympia Fields.  The final report on Homes for a Changing Region was completed in December 2011. 

The Board of Trustees, Plan Commission and Economic Development Advisory Board attended several meetings to be introduced to the planning process, comment on initial findings, and review proposed implementation strategies.  A community workshop was held in June 2011 to gather input from the public at large about Park Forest’s housing future.  This public meeting included a design charette at which those in attendance were asked to make urban design recommendations for new and infill housing development in four areas of the Village.  The final Homes for a Changing Region plan was presented to the Board of Trustees and the Plan Commission in December 2011.  The final plan reviews the existing housing conditions in the Village, and projects future housing needs based on demographic trends of age, household size, household income and other factors.  It also considers the need to incorporate sustainability elements into future housing improvements and development. 

The Homes for a Changing Region plan will be adopted by the Village as the housing element of the comprehensive plan in April 2012.