Illinois Realtors is launching a statewide partnership program with local officials to accelerate housing production by identifying and removing local barriers to homebuilding, the association announced on Tuesday. Through the Illinois Housing Supply Accelerator Program, Illinois Realtors’ governmental affairs directors will work directly with mayors, county leaders, planners and other housing stakeholders to address community-level constraints that slow or prevent new construction. Like many states, Illinois has seen supply constraints slow household formation and in-migration to certain job centers, pushing up prices and rents while intensifying affordability challenges. “The housing shortage is worsening every day, and communities need tools they can use now,” said Jeff Baker, CEO of Illinois Realtors. This initiative comes as lawmakers across the country at the state and national level swork to increase housing supply and affordability through a variety of measures.