Housing Illinois: Changing Attitudes Toward Affordable Housing

Affordable housing for young people, working families and seniors is a critical need throughout the Chicago region. Yet affordable housing projects frequently encounter stiff—even virulent—public opposition from vocal minorities worried that it will hurt property values or community standards.

Housing Illinois sought to reverse this trend by developing a communications campaign to help allay fears and demonstrate the value of affordable housing in communities at the point that new projects were being proposed.

Serving on the project’s leadership team, Valerie Denney Communications helped guide the organization through an extensive research phase into public attitudes about affordable housing and the production of its final product—a comprehensive communications kit, scalable based on budget, that includes audience-tested messages, brochure, posture, and ready-to-use television, radio and print ads.