Press Release Draft

New CAGE Study Finds Evanston Reached Its Ideal Population Shortly After Nearly Every Respondent Arrived

EVANSTON, IL — Citizens for Appropriate Growth in Evanston (CAGE) today released Characters in the Neighborhood™, a landmark study examining the relationship between residential tenure and perceptions of neighborhood quality.

Drawing from resident interviews, public testimony, neighborhood group analysis, and property tax records, researchers evaluated how individuals (defined as homeowners) perceive growth, change, and the appropriate number of people who should live in Evanston.

Among the report's key findings:

• 94% of respondents agreed that Evanston's "essential character" emerged within 2.7 years of their arrival.

• 89% believed additional housing was necessary for previous generations but should be approached more cautiously today.

• Researchers found overwhelming support for housing opportunities for young families, particularly when those families lived elsewhere.

• Evanston respondents were 3x more likely to consider themselves housing market “experts”, despite having zero professional or educational background in the $4.9T industry.

"One of the most surprising findings was the degree of consensus," said CAGE Senior Fellow for Neighborhood Stability Metrics, Katherine Bauer Wurster. "Regardless of age, income, or neighborhood, respondents independently identified their own move-in date as occurring very near Evanston's peak livability period."

Neighborhood Airflow Resilience Project™ examines the impact of new development on localized atmospheric conditions and resident comfort. Using predictive modeling and resident surveys, researchers identified a strong correlation between building height and community awareness of wind. Preliminary findings suggest that concerns regarding airflow increase significantly following project approval, regardless of observed weather conditions.

Coming Soon…

The Frontage Parking Doctrine™

Our upcoming report evaluates the emerging legal theory that the curb space immediately abutting a homeowner's property exists in a unique category between public infrastructure and private entitlement. While the City of Evanston owns and maintains the road, a symbiotic and emotional relationship exists between a homeowner and the 9 × 18 ft of asphalt in front of their property. Researchers are currently assessing resident reactions to alternative interpretations. This pending research does not apply to non-homeowners.