On a warm summer afternoon, Village officials, community leaders, and supportive housing advocates gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of Poupard Place, a new 48-unit affordable apartment development in the heart of downtown Northbrook. Named in honor of Tom Poupard, former Director of Development & Planning Services for the Village of Northbrook, the project represents a major step forward in the Village’s commitment to housing equity and inclusivity.
Developed by the Housing Opportunity Development Corporation (HODC), Poupard Place will offer supportive housing to individuals and families where at least one household member lives with a chronic disability. The development will provide affordable, stable housing options for residents earning less than 60% of the area median income—roughly $65,000 for a family of four. Each unit will include access to support services through partnerships with local social service agencies, enabling residents to live independently with dignity.
HODC, a nonprofit affordable housing developer with more than 700 completed units across 18 communities in the Chicago suburbs, will own and manage the building. As HODC Executive Director Richard Koenig shared at the ceremony, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Northbrook to bring this project to life. The Village’s donation of land made Poupard Place possible, and their commitment to inclusion is commendable.”
The Village Board of Trustees unanimously approved the development and also donated the land on which the building is being constructed. That generous contribution laid the foundation—literally and figuratively—for a housing solution designed for some of the Village’s most vulnerable residents.
"This groundbreaking is more than symbolic," said Village President Kathryn Ciesla during her remarks. “It’s a powerful step toward a more inclusive community—not just because we’re adding more affordable housing, but because we’re prioritizing our friends and neighbors with disabilities.”
Trustee Heather Ross echoed this sentiment and recalled her early conversations with Koenig and former Director Poupard about the feasibility of such a project. “Eight years ago, if you had told me we’d be standing here breaking ground on 48 affordable units in the heart of downtown Northbrook, I wouldn’t have believed you. But here we are—proof that what once felt impossible is absolutely possible with the right leadership and commitment.”
The namesake of the development, Tom Poupard, was the final speaker at the ceremony and reflected deeply on his three decades of service to the Village and his personal connection to the issue of housing affordability:
“Thank you all so much for being here today. This is truly a special and humbling moment for me, both professionally and personally. To stand here at the groundbreaking is an incredible honor — and to do so in Northbrook, a community I proudly served as a city planner for 30 years and where I still live today, even after retiring four years ago, makes it even more meaningful.
When I first moved to Northbrook, I was able to buy a small, modest starter home — the kind of home that gave me stability, a sense of place, and the ability to grow a family here. Now, my own children are in their 30s, and I see firsthand just how difficult it has become for the next generation to afford a home in the very community they grew up in.
Housing affordability isn't just an abstract issue. It's personal, and it's urgent. During my time with the Village, I had the privilege of helping guide Northbrook’s growth with the goal of building a community that welcomes and supports everyone. Today, we take a powerful step toward that goal by breaking ground on a development that will provide 48 affordable housing units for individuals with disabilities — our neighbors — who deserve access to stable, safe housing and the opportunity to live independently with dignity.
I'm especially pleased to see this site being so close to our downtown and the train station. It's just wonderful.
I want to express my deep gratitude to the Village Board of Trustees and the Plan Commission for having the courage, foresight, and empathy to adopt affordable housing legislation that laid the foundation for this development to occur. It's not always easy to lead on complex issues like housing, but their commitment to doing what’s right for the long-term health and inclusiveness of this community made this beautiful new development process possible. Dare I say, their efforts were groundbreaking?
I want to thank HODC, an organization I deeply admire for its commitment to equitable housing across the region. And I want to thank Richard and all the partners who helped make this vision a reality. Your hard work and heart are building more than just buildings — you're building opportunity and inclusion.
We’re living in complex and challenging times.
The values of empathy, public service, and community investment are now questioned and attacked. But this project is proof we can still choose a different path — that we can lead with compassion, that we can work together to ensure that no one is left behind.
While I’m humbled that this development carries my family name, the legacy of Poupard Place might be on a sign, but it will live in the lives changed by those living here — and the freedom and belonging that everyone deserves.
Thank you again to HODC, to the Village, and to each of you who believes in this work. Let’s keep building!”
— Tom Poupard