CDBG survey: Skokie residents prioritize affordable housing, mental health and drainage over next five years

The Village of Skokie presented results of a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) survey to the Village Board on June 16, 2025 that will inform the community’s 2025–2029 consolidated plan; the department reported receiving 562 responses over an eight-week period and said about 95% of respondents identified themselves as Skokie residents.

Neighborhood and housing coordinator Justin Malone, who administered the survey for the community development department, said the short, 11-question questionnaire asked respondents to pick the top three unmet needs in multiple categories and to provide open-ended comments. Malone told the board the survey is part of the HUD-required five-year consolidated planning process for communities that receive CDBG funding and that the program’s statutory goal is to assist low- and moderate-income residents.

Malone summarized the top results: strong demand for accessible and affordable mental-health services; widespread concerns about housing affordability and the aging condition of housing, including lead-pipe replacement and energy-efficiency upgrades; requests for improved services and programming for seniors to support aging in place; and infrastructure concerns including flooding/drainage, potholes, and deteriorating alleys. When asked to rank cross-cutting priorities regardless of category, respondents placed affordable housing, crime prevention and drainage improvements among the top three priorities.

The survey also revealed community interest in job training and support for small businesses, more visible senior programs, and neighborhood services such as tree planting and litter control. Malone said community organizations were included in outreach and that the survey results and public comments are posted on the village website on the Community Development (CDBG) page.

Trustee Schechter thanked staff for the volume of responses and emphasized the intersectional nature of the priorities, noting that programs addressing one population can benefit other groups. Malone said outreach channels that delivered results included the village email newsletter and social media; respondents also reported learning about the survey through email invitations and community partners.

There was no formal board action on the survey results at the meeting; staff said the data will guide prioritization as Skokie drafts its 2025–2029 CDBG consolidated plan and that a deeper dive and comparisons with neighboring jurisdictions in the Northern Cook County Consortium informed the work.