House Minority Leader Jeffries Visits Chicago Suburbs to Address Cost of Living Crisis

Jeffries and Schneider host roundtable with local leaders on affordability challenges facing working families

Feb. 22, 2026 at 3:39am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries visited the Chicago suburbs of Winnetka and Northbrook to discuss the growing affordability crisis impacting working families. Jeffries joined Congressman Brad Schneider for a roundtable discussion with local business owners, housing advocates, and social service providers to hear firsthand about the rising costs of housing, food, healthcare, and childcare. The event highlighted how inflation and higher living expenses are making the 'American Dream' increasingly out of reach for many in the region.

Why it matters

The cost-of-living crisis is a major concern for voters heading into the upcoming midterm elections, and Democrats like Jeffries and Schneider are seeking to position themselves as champions for working families struggling with skyrocketing prices. The event aimed to draw attention to the structural issues driving the affordability gap, including stagnant wages not keeping pace with rapidly rising housing, food, and other essential costs.

The details

During the roundtable, local leaders provided data illustrating the depth of the affordability crisis. New Trier Township Supervisor Gail Schnitzer Eisenberg noted a 110% increase in food pantry usage since 2015, along with rising requests for emergency housing and financial assistance. Rob Anthony of Community Partners for Affordable Housing said rent and home prices are increasing 2-4 times faster than incomes, with someone needing to earn $33.87 per hour just to afford a 2-bedroom apartment compared to the $15 per hour minimum wage.

  • Jeffries and Schneider held the roundtable discussion on Tuesday, February 18, 2026.

The players

Hakeem Jeffries

U.S. House Minority Leader and Democratic Congressman from New York.

Brad Schneider

Democratic Congressman representing Illinois' 10th Congressional District, which includes many northern Chicago suburbs.

Gail Schnitzer Eisenberg

New Trier Township Supervisor who provided local data on rising food pantry usage and requests for emergency financial assistance.

Rob Anthony

Representative from Community Partners for Affordable Housing who discussed the widening gap between incomes and housing costs.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The state of the real economy in America is a mess. There is an affordability crisis that is not a hoax. It is very real.”

— Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader (Chicago Tribune)

“Over the past year, life has gotten not just more expensive for the American people, it has gotten to the point that the American Dream seems out of reach for many people — an impossible dream.”

— Brad Schneider, U.S. Congressman (Chicago Tribune)

“These are not people who lack work ethic. The numbers simply cannot not add up.”

— Gail Schnitzer Eisenberg, New Trier Township Supervisor (Chicago Tribune)

“There's a widening gap and it's not that people are not working hard or doing what they're supposed to be doing, but there's a structural problem where income is not keeping up with home prices and it's creating a widening gap for people.”

— Rob Anthony, Community Partners for Affordable Housing (Chicago Tribune)

What’s next

Jeffries and Schneider plan to continue holding similar discussions around the country as Democrats work to address the cost-of-living crisis ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.

The takeaway

The event highlighted the growing affordability challenges facing working families in the Chicago suburbs, with stagnant wages failing to keep pace with rapidly rising costs for housing, food, healthcare, and other essentials. Democrats are seeking to position themselves as champions for these struggling families as they head into the midterm elections.