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Want to know more about your community? Local Housing Profiles are packed with information
Did you know that most of Berwyn's housing is at least as old as the movie The Wizard of Oz? Or that if you live in the Village of Bensenville, you're just as likely to rent your home as you are to be a homeowner?
The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) created the new Local Housing Profiles — in partnership with the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University — to help policymakers, planners, researchers, and residents understand key information about their community. The profiles include information about housing demand, supply, and affordability, relative to regional trends.
You can help spread the word! In our toolkit, you'll find text and graphics you can use on your community's social media, newsletter, and website to share this useful data.
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Help chart our region's future: communities can update the Northeastern Illinois Development Database
An up-to-date database charts our region’s future! Contributing to the Northeastern Illinois Development Database (NDD) web map helps CMAP and regional planners better understand current and future development trends.
By providing more accurate data, communities can influence future planning, infrastructure, and transportation decisions. This strengthens planning for regional growth to consider local and regional goals and priorities.
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Do you know a future leader in planning? High school students can apply for CMAP's summer FLIP program
Future Leaders in Planning (FLIP) is CMAP's summer program for high school students in northeastern Illinois. High school students from Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties are encouraged to apply.
FLIP is for students who want to learn about urban planning and our region, and share ideas about how to make northeastern Illinois a better place to live, learn, work, and play.
This year's program runs for five days, across two weeks: July 15-17 (Tuesday through Thursday), and July 22-23 (Tuesday and Wednesday). It will take place in person at CMAP's office in the Old Post Office in downtown Chicago and will include field trips to sites throughout the region.
The program is free to students, and includes snacks, meals, public transportation to and from sessions, and swag. Applications are due by June 2.
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 Katie Reigstad (center, holding the award) accepted the American Planning Association's 2025 Innovation-Implementation Award. Joining Katie were (from left) Enrique Castillo, Stephane Phifer, Nikolas Merten, and Jennifer Todd-Goynes. Jennifer is from the consultant team, TIP Strategies, that helped CMAP create and update the tool.
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Job Quality and Access Tool wins APA Innovation-Implementation Award
CMAP has won the American Planning Association’s 2025 Innovation-Implementation Award for our Job Quality and Access Tool!
This tool provides multi-dimensional workforce data and was developed by CMAP, with the support of our regional economic development partners.
It helps our communities understand the advantages of their local labor market, identify areas that need assistance, and develop action plans to strengthen industries that support shared prosperity.
CMAP received the honor at the APA’s National Planning Conference in Denver.
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Workshops on IDOT funding opportunities coming to northeastern Illinois this summer
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will be hosting workshops throughout the state to help local governments and communities learn about and apply for funding opportunities.
The Special Programs Assistance Conferences in northeastern Illinois will take place in June and will cover:
- Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program
- Safe Routes to School
- Economic Development Program
Mark your calendar for these sessions in the region:
- June 5 and 6: IDOT District 1 Office, 201 West Center Court, Schaumburg, IL 60196
- June 10 and 11: Hillside Village Hall, 425 Hillside Ave, Hillside, IL 60162
- June 12 and 13: McHenry County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock, IL 60098
- June 23 and 24: Matteson Village Hall, 20642 Matteson Avenue, Matteson, IL 60443
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CMAP Board member Nina Idemudia featured on Smart in the City podcast
Nina Idemudia, chief executive officer of the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) and a member of the CMAP Board, was featured on a recent episode of the Smart in the City podcast. The episode explores how CNT is responding to federal funding challenges while staying committed to people-powered change.
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Spread the word: traffic safety awareness in April
Join CMAP and our regional partners in promoting traffic safety this month:
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April is Distracted Driving Awareness month. According to IDOT, distracted driving was involved in nearly 5% of all traffic deaths in 2023, and over 29,000 people were injured in crashes involving distraction between 2019 and 2023. That's why IDOT and the Illinois State Police are joining the national "Don't Drive Distracted. Eyes Forward" campaign — learn more and participate.
- The National Safety Council is helping communities spread the word about the risks of distracted driving. Check out their Distracted Driving Awareness Month toolkit.
- Springtime means construction season is around the corner! National Work Zone Awareness Week is this week, April 21 – 25. This annual campaign encourages safe driving through highway work zones.
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Planned improvements will make it safer to cross railroad tracks across Illinois
The Illinois Commerce Commission approved its annual five-year Crossing Safety Improvement Program to implement life-saving safety upgrades at highway-rail crossings across Illinois.
Over $400 million from the Grade Crossing Protection Fund and Rebuild Illinois will help local communities pay for much-needed improvements at over 900 crossing locations.
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WTS honors Illinois Tollway executive director and CMAP's PART report
Congratulations to Cassaundra Rouse, the WTS International 2025 Woman of the Year! Cassaundra is the executive director of the Illinois Tollway and the vice chair of CMAP's Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Policy Committee — the decision-making body for regional transportation plans and programs in northeastern Illinois. Cassaundra also was selected as the Woman of the Year for the WTS Greater Chicago Chapter.
Also, the WTS Greater Chicago Chapter's Innovative Transportation Solutions Award went to CMAP's Plan of Action for Regional Transit (PART) report, which "exhibits exemplary leadership and tenacity in approaching challenges transit agencies are facing in our region."
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High-speed rail study aims to shape the future of transportation in Illinois
Voice your opinion on high-speed rail in Illinois! The High-Speed Railway Commission’s Virtual Public Event for the High-Speed Rail Feasibility Study is now open.
Drop by between April 28 and May 11 to learn what high-speed rail service is all about. You can share your feedback and take a survey. La encuesta está disponible en español.
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Meet CMAP's Board members
In the latest installment of the CMAP Board spotlight, learn more about Matt Brolley, the village president of Montgomery. Matt represents Kane/Kendall counties on the CMAP Board.
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Tell us about yourself: why were you inspired to join the Board?
I think my inspiration for serving in this position stems from my career path. Early in my career as a civil engineer, I was involved in the design of a myriad of projects in the region from stormwater to transportation and private development — followed by 17 years of local government service on the Village of Montgomery’s Planning Commission, elected Trustee, and now Village President.
Couple the planning and design experiences together, and it seems to be a great fit for our region's planning organization.
What are you hoping to accomplish?
It’s a simple goal really: to be a voice for Kendall and Kane counties in a room of regional planning and transportation leaders.
What is a hidden gem in your community?
The people. Our community was built by hardworking families nearly 200 years ago. While the population has boomed since then (and drastically over the last 25 years), the mindset remains the same. We are a diverse, hardworking, family-centric village.
What is a project you are working on right now?
At present, Montgomery is joining forces with Oswego and Yorkville to secure Lake Michigan drinking water. Our existing water source deep underground is being depleted. This is the largest, most impactful project any of us will every work on as elected officials. I’m humbled to be involved.
Have you received an award or honor that meant a great deal to you?
Ten years ago, the village submitted to FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS). From FEMA’s website, the CRS “is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management practices that exceed the minimum requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program."
Staff was elated when our village earned a score of 5, which unlocks a 25 percent discount to all flood insurance premiums in town. Only one community in Illinois has a higher rating (props to the Village of Ottawa).
If you’ve never heard of this program, it’s because you probably don’t have flood insurance. This rating means a great deal to me personally, not because I’m a civil engineer, but because of what it means for our dedicated staff.
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