WTIP hosts community conversation about Cook County housing crunch

Cook County is the gateway to some of the most stunning landscapes in the Upper Midwest. With Lake Superior hugging one side of the county, and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness the other, it’s not hard to understand why people enjoy visiting this part of the country.

These natural landscapes and the opportunities they present are also a reason some people want to move here. And within that reality is the fact that Cook County has a housing shortage.

The reasons for the housing shortage are both diverse and complex. A group of community leaders visited WTIP Sept. 15 to discuss some of the reasons for the local housing crisis, and work being done to address the situation.

WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs hosted a special news program Sept. 15 to discuss the local housing crunch. Joining Friedrichs on the program were:

–Housing Redevelopment Authority Director Jason Hale;

–Cook County Administrator James Joerke;

-Economic Development Authority Director Beth Drost;

-Grand Marais City Councilor and local contractor Anton Moody.

WTIP spoke with these local officials on issues relevant to the housing crunch, including a lack of workforce housing, increasing home values and a lack of long-term rentals in Cook County. The show aired live Thursday, Sept. 15 during the North Shore News Hour. Audio below.

Joe Friedrichs September 15, 2022