Competition opens on August 11, 2025. Entries are due by October 17, 2025

Blackhawk Hills Regional Council (BHRC) has launched a housing design competition, funded in part by a grant from AARP, to promote housing suitable for adults 50 and older as well as families with young children. Multigenerational living helps people of all ages by building stronger interpersonal relationships and civic bonds. This competition aims to not just improve housing conditions but also support our rural region’s need for quality senior living and childcare.

Design professionals and students (including architects, engineers, and builders) based in the United States are eligible to apply. Those with a documented link to Northwest Illinois (NWIL), which consists of Carroll, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, and Whiteside counties, are especially encouraged to submit. Up to six $5,000 prizes are available; two $5,000 prizes are reserved for NWIL-connected submitters, and one $5,000 prize is by community vote. Winning designs will be showcased throughout the region in 2026 and online. NWIL-connected participants that are not awarded a prize but meet minimum competition requirements (as defined in the brief) will receive a $250 stipend (limit 10 stipends). Above and beyond this competition, BHRC may enter into a contractual agreement and business relationship with any number of winners to formalize plans and work with local communities to implement housing designs.

The competition opens on August 11, 2025. Entries are due by October 17, 2025. To see full competition details, including who is eligible and how to submit, visit housing.blackhawkhills.com. Send questions to info@blackhawkhills.com by October 10, 2025.

BHRC is Northwest Illinois’ regional planning organization and economic development district. Located in the Driftless Area, its prairie foothills, and adjacent to the Mississippi River in the tri-state area, BHRC seeks to improve the quality of life for communities and individuals.