Wealth and property passed down from parents to their children can be a major financial boost. But as some aging parents struggle financially, they can become prey to mortgage scams or even the complicated lifeline of reverse mortgages, where homeowners trade equity in their homes for cash but won’t be able to leave their property to their family. Home repair is at the root of the ability of senior Chicagoans to stay in their homes as they age. Local organizations are trying to provide relief without depriving seniors of the ability to pass their homes down to the next generation.
Laura Stewart
Laura Stewart is a freelance journalist based in New York City and a former a solutions reporting fellow with the Illinois Answers Project. Prior to joining Illinois Answers, she worked as a local news reporter in Baltimore and on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s public investigations team. Laura received a bachelor’s in history from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s in journalism from Northwestern University.
Posted inInvestigating Responses
This Coastal State’s Approach to Flooding May Be a Model for Illinois Communities
Illinois and New Jersey have a problem in common: Flooding, and its devastation on communities. Here, the Illinois Answers Project examines why New Jersey’s work on this front is seen as a national model.
Posted inInvestigating Responses
For Many Illinoisans in Flood-Prone Areas, Buyouts Are the Only Way Out
A state government home buyout program has helped hundreds of people move out of harm’s way. But for many, it takes too long.
