Jane French

Why The Door Is Closing on Affordable Housing in One Midwestern Community.  For this woman, finding an affordable home for her 63-year-old mom is proving nearly impossible.   Housing and Assisted Living Evelyn Myles lives in a small two-bedroom condo in Darien, Ill., a Chicago suburb of approximately 22,000, with her husband, their college-aged daughter, a cat and, since April, her 63-year-old mother. Before that, her mom lived with another relative while caregiving for her son, Myles' disabled brother. Following her brother's death from COVID-19 in November 2020, the relative eventually relocated out of state for a new job, rendering her mom essentially homeless. Myles didn't hesitate to invite her and her dog to move in until she found a place to live. But what first seemed like a short-term arrangement has turned into a time-consuming campaign to find an affordable apartment. Myles discovered that wait lists for a voucher to help pay market-rate rent can take...