Naperville Council Revives Affordable Housing Efforts

City explores inclusionary zoning and multigenerational housing options to address housing disparities.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The Naperville City Council is revisiting affordable housing strategies, including the potential adoption of an inclusionary zoning ordinance, as it continues to grapple with disparities in the city's housing stock. After previously meeting the state's 10% affordable housing threshold, council members agree more must be done to ensure a broad range of housing options are available. The council is exploring lessons learned from other Chicago suburbs that have implemented inclusionary zoning, as well as the potential for multigenerational housing designs to naturally lower per-person housing costs.

Why it matters

Affordable housing has been an ongoing issue in Naperville for years, with the city previously designated as a 'non-exempt local government' under state law due to its shortage of affordable units. While Naperville has since met the 10% threshold, council members believe the need for diverse housing options remains, especially as the city's demographics continue to shift.

The details

The council is revisiting affordable housing strategies after previously considering an inclusionary zoning ordinance in 2021, which would have required a minimum number of affordable units in new residential developments. Instead, the city opted for an incentives-based program and later an 'Affordable Housing Catalog' showcasing voluntary affordable projects. Now, an inclusionary zoning ordinance may be reconsidered, with the council seeking to learn from the successes and challenges faced by other Chicago suburbs. Additionally, the council is exploring the potential for multigenerational housing designs that could naturally lower per-person housing costs.

  • In 2003, the state of Illinois passed the Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act, requiring municipalities to evaluate their affordable housing stock.
  • In January 2024, Naperville was determined to have 10.3% of its housing stock considered affordable, meeting the state's threshold.
  • In 2019, the city worked with a consultant to analyze its housing market and needs, leading to the consideration of an inclusionary zoning ordinance in 2021.
  • In 2021, the city opted for an incentives-based housing program instead of an inclusionary zoning ordinance.
  • In 2024, the city's Affordable Housing Catalog was introduced, showcasing voluntary affordable housing projects since 2019.

The players

Benny White

Naperville City Councilman.

Brian Palm

Former member of the Naperville Human Rights and Fair Housing Commission.

Scott Wehrli

Mayor of Naperville.

Ian Holzhauer

Naperville City Councilman.

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What they’re saying

“We were striving to get to the 10% … then we met the goal. It's not like we did anything different to meet the goal. We met the goal because the median income for Naperville changed. That's why we met the goal, so I would say that the need is still there.”

— Benny White, Naperville City Councilman (chicagotribune.com)

“When we were looking at inclusionary zonings, the majority of them and what was being proposed at that time said, 'OK, if you're building five units, one of them has to be affordable.' To come into that, then we were starting to come into the have and have nots. If you're going to make one unit affordable, you will have to drive up the cost of the other four.”

— Brian Palm, Former member of the Naperville Human Rights and Fair Housing Commission (chicagotribune.com)

“But if we consider (them), we should be evaluating what those communities have passed and what the successes, or maybe the not-so-successful outcomes of those are, and also look at them from those who collected fee-in-lieu versus those that actually produce affordable outcomes.”

— Scott Wehrli, Mayor of Naperville (chicagotribune.com)

“One of my big concerns when I look at these types of ordinances around the country is in some communities, it's just too cumbersome to comply with the ordinance or to build a house that meets the ordinance so people just pay a cash buyout. As a result, housing becomes more expensive because the buyout cost is passed along to the homebuyer.”

— Ian Holzhauer, Naperville City Councilman (chicagotribune.com)

What’s next

Staff will explore affordable housing initiatives in other communities and meet with council members individually to assess priorities before bringing suggestions back to a future council meeting.

The takeaway

Naperville's efforts to address affordable housing disparities highlight the complexities involved, as the city explores lessons learned from other suburbs and considers innovative solutions like multigenerational housing designs to naturally lower per-person housing costs and better serve the community's evolving demographics.