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Residents press mayor on rising rents; mayor says rent control is a state issue and promotes affordable housing
Summary
A longtime resident told Mayor Robert Peo rising rents are forcing people out of Lake Forest; the mayor said rent control falls to the state and emphasized building senior and affordable housing as local responses while acknowledging limitations within city boundaries.
During a Q&A at the State of the City, a longtime Lake Forest resident said rising rents are pushing families out and asked whether the city will enact rent control.
"We are being run out of the city because of the increasing rents," the resident said. Mayor Robert Peo responded that rent control "is a state issue," adding the city is pursuing affordable housing options — specifically senior affordable housing — as a local strategy to help residents on fixed incomes.
Peo described constraints facing the city: Lake Forest is largely built out, adding that creating affordable housing locally may require taller developments that some residents oppose and could change neighborhood character. He also warned that expanding development toward the Cleveland National Forest increases wildfire risk and insurance concerns, underscoring tradeoffs in land‑use decisions.
The mayor urged regional cooperation and cited the city's focus on targeted affordable and senior housing rather than local rent‑control ordinances.
Next steps: the city will continue outreach on housing options and rely on regional and state efforts for broader tenant protections and regulations.
