A Place to Live

Lake County’s housing landscape is being shaped by a clear understanding of its challenges and opportunities, supported by a strategic commitment to action. LCP commissioned a Housing Analysis for Lake County in 2023, immediately following the adoption of a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for the community. The housing study laid out a detailed snapshot of where the county stands: undersupply, affordability strain across a range of incomes, a shortage of housing types, and local regulatory barriers.

The responses — from countywide coalitions, municipal programs, philanthropic engagement, development proposals, and strategic toolkits — have been well aligned with those findings and showcased the can-do spirit and equitable growth ethic that defines Lake County.

This year was marked by a large push to make housing a major factor in economic development discussions. For residents, developers, employers and local governments alike, the next few years will be pivotal on the housing front. The topic is not just a matter of shelter; it is core to Lake County’s competitiveness, workforce retention, community diversity, and long‑term vibrancy. A coordinated, multi‑pronged, and sustained push — as is currently unfolding and resulting in developments in towns across Lake County — is exactly what the 2023 housing study prescribed.

A Place to Grow 

With LCP's assistance, public and private Lake County stakeholders are working to address the need for affordable childcare and quality early childhood education options, even in the face of public sector funding challenges.

The NIU-based Center for Early Learning Funding Equity is examining how funding and staffing levels across facilities can be improved to achieve more equitable offerings. Organizations like Start Early are advocating for nationwide harmonization of standards and care. And select high schools now offer a pathway certification in early childhood education, preparing their students for a career in that in-demand field.

Fortunately, Lake County's strong leadership ethic has given way to many nonprofits that are supporting early childhood education, including Reading Power, Inc., a group that has operated in Lake County for 20+ years and has developed 15 programs across 12 schools that have provided individualized tutoring to over 5,300 students in preschool through second grade. This year, Lake County also celebrated the launch of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which mails free, high-quality books to children in the community from birth to age 5 - an initiative made possible through the support of the Lake County Regional Office of Education Foundation. 

A Place To Advance

The bedrock of Lake County's economy is a robust and renewable supply of skilled talent, and career pathway programs are more important than ever in helping to shape the next generation workforce. The interest is there too - this year, Lake County Tech Campus welcomed nearly 2,500 students, and prepared for a 20+% increase in enrollment in 2026.

Local educators at the Tech Campus, the College of Lake County, Rosalind Franklin University, the Office of Regional Education and local districts are blazing a path forward, serving as a model in Illinois and nationwide. Lake County boasts several unique and highly successful initiatives designed to engage and educate the next generation:

• Navig8 Lake: This initiative provides a powerful, hands-on format where students can explore manufacturing with Lake County manufacturers. The growth of this event is staggering, now featuring over 140 companies and attracting the participation of over 6,000+ students, with the goal of engaging 8,000 in 2026. This scale demonstrates a massive regional commitment to early exposure and career exploration.
  
  
• SchoolLinks: Addressing the need for streamlined employer-educator interaction, SchoolLinks gives employers the opportunity to onboard in one system. This collaborative platform ensures educators come together to build the pipeline and help companies connect to it, minimizing friction for both students and employers.
  
  
• Lake County Manufacturing Alliance: This group, run through the College of Lake County, is instrumental in fostering peer learning and collective problem-solving, as it brings local manufacturers together so they can explore best practices and learn from one another.

Importantly, financial resources are also available to support business engagement. Lake County Workforce Development has access to a portfolio of federally-funded grant programs that businesses can tap into to cultivate talent, offering tangible support for internships and training programs.