Cut the Red Tape,
Build a Safer Hazel Crest
Take Action to Prioritize New Business, Less Crime and Quality Housing
Hazel Crest’s restrictive housing regulations are stifling business, jobs and discouraging new, safe, affordable housing
Residents and local REALTORS® are urging the mayor and city council to fix housing regulations to attract new businesses, jobs and create housing options that can reduce crime.
Why Prioritizing Housing Matters:
Hazel Crest’s Challenges
- Outdated rental regulations aim to generate fees and fines but are so complicated they are unenforceable, leading to more vacancies and neglected properties.
- Residents face empty storefronts and deteriorating properties, which discourage business investments and encourage crime.
New Businesses Thrive When Housing Is Prioritized
- Retailers, restaurants, and services choose locations based on the number of potential customers. Simply put, retail follows rooftops.1 Increased housing attracts new businesses.
- Every home sale in Illinois contributes over $87,000 to local economic growth.2 Streamlined regulations can unleash this potential and create jobs.
Safer Communities Start with Quality Housing
- Thoughtful zoning, housing design, and land use can reduce crime.3
- New developments lower crime rates, reduce the number of abandoned buildings, and foster better community-police relationships.4
What Residents Want:
- 62% of residents prioritize attracting new businesses and jobs, with 55% considering it a high priority.
- 64% of residents rate reducing crime as a priority, and 55% of them rank it highly.
- 52% of residents believe the mayor should focus on new, quality, safe, and affordable housing, while 46% support rental regulation reforms to boost housing quality and safety.
- While 46% support rental regulation reforms to boost housing quality and safety, only 10% disapprove.
The Solutions
To meet these community priorities, Hazel Crest’s leadership must update its rental regulations to:
- Simplify the process, making regulations enforceable.
- Enhance existing housing, and stimulate new, affordable developments.
- Generate increased revenue, for community growth.