In Episode 143 of The Chicagoland Guide, Aaron Masliansky visits Youth Conservation Corps in Waukegan to explore a critical but often overlooked part of the housing conversation: workforce development. As Lake County and the broader Chicagoland region face a persistent housing shortage, rising construction costs, and a shrinking skilled trades workforce, solutions must go beyond zoning reform and financing tools. This episode examines how YouthBuild Waukegan is training the next generation of construction professionals while building affordable housing for local families. If we want more housing supply, stronger neighborhoods, and sustainable economic growth in Lake County and across the Chicagoland area, we need people who know how to build—and that’s exactly what this program is doing.

Aaron sits down with Executive Director Jennifer Yonan to discuss how their programming serves 16–24 year olds who are disconnected from education and employment, helping them earn their GED or diploma, gain hands-on construction experience, and prepare for registered apprenticeships and careers in the trades.

The conversation covers:

-How workforce training directly impacts housing supply

-Building affordable homes from the ground up in Zion

-Why the skilled trades are increasingly valuable in an AI-driven economy

-The role of regional housing policy and zoning reform in Lake County

-Supporting the “whole person” through education, mentorship, and life skills

Youth Conservation Corps is not only training future electricians, plumbers, and carpenters—it’s strengthening neighborhoods and expanding opportunity from within the community.

Learn more or get involved at:

youthconservationcorps.org

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

In this episode of The Chicagoland Guide, Aaron Masliansky sits down with Adrian Brizulea of CoStar to unpack the Chicago real estate outlook for 2026.

They discuss multifamily rent trends, housing supply, downtown office recovery, industrial and logistics markets, data centers, suburban redevelopment, and the major development projects shaping Chicagoland’s future.

Adrian shares data-driven insights from his work at CoStar and his recent presentation at the Chicago Association of Realtors Market Outlook, offering a clear view of where the market stands and what investors, homeowners, and residents should be watching next.

Whether you are buying, selling, investing, or simply care about Chicago’s long-term trajectory, this episode provides grounded, practical perspective on the region’s real estate economy.

View the full CAR presentation slides here:

https://chicagorealtor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/FINAL-2026-Chicago-Association-of-Realtors-Presentation_AdrianBrizuela_CoStar-1.pdf

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

In one of the most forward-looking episodes of The Chicagoland Guide to date, host Aaron Masliansky sits down with Kyle Schulz, Deputy of Strategic Advancement at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). This conversation breaks down where Chicagoland is heading over the next decade, and what it will take to stay globally competitive.

Aaron and Kyle originally connected through the Chicago Association of Realtors’ Global Council, and they pick up right where their first conversation left off: the opportunities, risks, and transformational forces shaping the region.

Together, they dive into:

The economic outlook for Chicagoland and where the region is gaining (and losing) ground

Quantum tech and Chicago’s bid to become a global quantum capital

The surge in data centers-why they’re here, what risks they create, and how they impact energy, land use, and local tax bases

Transportation as Chicagoland’s superpower — rail, airports, freight, and the region’s logistical advantage

How immigration, labor markets, and demographic trends will influence long-term regional competitiveness

The evolving Chicago vs. Arlington Heights dynamic around the Bears and big projects

What makes a region attractive to employers, and what CMAP is seeing in real time

How climate resilience, zoning modernization, and infrastructure investment will shape the next decade

Why Chicagoland’s stability, diversity, and economic depth remain a massive strategic asset

What Kyle believes are the big decisions leaders must get right between now and 2035

This episode is smart, fast-paced, and deeply insightful — the kind of conversation that helps residents, investors, civic leaders, and curious locals understand where Chicagoland is truly headed.

If you care about the future of this region, this is a must-listen.

Guest Info

Kyle T. Schulz

Deputy of Strategic Advancement

Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)

Website: https://www.cmap.illinois.gov

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chicago-metropolitan-agency-for-planning/

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.