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Affordable Housing in Joliet: LIHTC Impact on 'Blues Brothers' City
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
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Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
Joliet, Illinois, a city notable for its historical significance and its appearance in "The Blues Brothers" movie, maintains a substantial Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funded affordable housing inventory. The city's LIHTC program encompasses 910 total units, of which 688 are designated as low-income units. This accounts for approximately 1.61% of Joliet's estimated 56,589 housing units.
Joliet has received $5,193,949 in project tax credits through the LIHTC program. This funding is distributed across approximately 11 projects, resulting in an average of $472,177 in federal funding per project. The average federal funding per unit is $5,707, calculated by dividing the total tax credits by the 910 total units. Joliet's LIHTC funding represents 0.64% of Illinois' total LIHTC allocation.
The development of LIHTC funded affordable housing in Joliet spans from 1987 to 2008. The initial projects, "1001 Hacker" and "1001 Wabash," were completed in 1987. The most recent project, "Briggs-Rosalind Homes," was finished in 2008. The late 1990s marked the period of highest activity, with three projects completed in 1998 and 1999, including "Victory Senior Centre" and "Larkin Village Apts."
Joliet's LIHTC funded housing stock includes a variety of unit types. The 910 total units comprise 101 efficiencies, 485 one-bedroom units, 219 two-bedroom units, 50 three-bedroom units, and 2 four-bedroom units. This distribution indicates a focus on accommodating smaller households and potentially senior citizens.
Joliet's population has remained relatively stable over the past decade, ranging between 146,000 and 152,000 residents. The median income has increased substantially, rising from $58,363 in 2015 to $86,928 in 2022. This upward trend in income may partially explain the absence of new LIHTC projects in recent years.
The racial composition of Joliet has remained relatively consistent in recent years. As of 2022, the city's population was 43% White, 34% Hispanic, 16% Black, and 3% Asian. The stability in demographic makeup suggests that the existing affordable housing stock may continue to serve its intended populations.
Joliet's LIHTC funded affordable housing inventory, while modest compared to the overall housing stock, represents a significant investment in addressing low-income housing needs. The city's 11 LIHTC projects, developed over two decades, provide a range of unit types to serve various household sizes. While no new LIHTC projects have been completed in recent years, the rising median income in Joliet may indicate changing housing needs in the community. The stable population and racial demographics suggest that the existing affordable housing continues to play an important role in the city's housing landscape.
