CREDITS: 2 CM

ABSTRACT

This mobile workshop will take planners to Poupard Place in Northbrook, a new 48 unit supportive housing development that demonstrates how affordable housing for people with disabilities can be thoughtfully integrated into a suburban community. Participants will tour the property and discuss the planning, community engagement, financing, design, and development considerations that shaped the project from concept to completion.

Using Poupard Place as a case study, the workshop will explore the growing need for affordable and supportive housing in suburban communities, where housing costs, limited multifamily zoning, and community opposition often create barriers for lower-income households and people with special needs. The discussion will focus on what planners can do to help communities move beyond abstract debates about affordable housing and toward real projects that are well-designed, service-supported, and responsive to local needs.

Participants will see firsthand how supportive housing can be designed to fit within a suburban context while providing stable homes for residents who may otherwise face housing instability. The workshop will also address the role of partnerships among nonprofit developers, local governments, service providers, funders, and community stakeholders. Attendees will leave with practical lessons for evaluating sites, addressing community concerns, connecting housing to broader planning goals, and advancing more inclusive housing options in suburban communities.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 

1. Participants will be able to identify key planning, zoning, financing, and community engagement factors that support the successful and equitable development of supportive housing in suburban communities.
2. Participants will be able to evaluate how design, site planning, and resident services can help supportive housing fit within a suburban context while meeting the needs of vulnerable residents in an equitable manner.
3. Participants will be able to apply lessons from Poupard Place to local planning efforts that expand affordable housing options, address community concerns, and advance more inclusive communities.