As a founding principal of the firm Structured Development, J. Michael Drew is an unabashed capitalist, a label not popular in some quarters. But he looks for answers to the problem of affordability in city living.
New construction housing in the core of Chicago is a market that works fabulously well for high-end buyers. Mandated city set-asides of “affordable” units add options for those with lower incomes. What about two-income couples with children and steady jobs who don’t pay vast sums? Home ownership can still be a stretch, and they don’t qualify for most subsidized units.
