Thinking outside the box to help ease housing crunch [Video]

BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL (25News Now) – Community-run groups are trying to help the city find solutions for the lack of housing in the Bloomington-Normal area.

Three organizations, Bloomington Revivalists, Bloomington-Normal Community Land Trust, and McLean County Cohousing gathered at the Bloomington Public Library to attend the “Thinking Outside the Box Housing Forum” Sunday.

There, group and city leaders discussed ideas about how to address the housing crisis.

Bloomington Revivalists is a non-profit that aims at advocating for the democratization of urban development, supporting smaller businesses and community members to help develop the area.

Revivalists President Noah Tang said the rapidly growing economy and incoming workforce, like the Rivian hiring boom, is driving the crisis.

“If we look at the report from the economic development in Bloomington-Normal, we see that we’re about short 7,500 housing units in town,” Tang said.

He said the suburban housing plans aren’t working, and they are missing middle housing options …