Lakeside engages in issue advocacy at the local, regional, and state level to promote effective policies that lead to the creation and preservation of affordable housing opportunities. Agency staff also produces and participates in research on neighborhood housing trends, such as the 2006 Community Housing Audit and the Rental Improvement Fund. The agency works, to the greatest extent possible, in coalitions of like-minded groups and individuals whose collective efforts can best advance the agency's mission. Lakeside is also a member of a number of coalitions, including the Neighborhood Community Reinvestment Coalition, Egan Campaign for Payday Lending Reform, Housing Action Illinois, and Partners for Rogers Park.

Lakeside's 2006 Community Housing Audit helped highlight the problems associated with under-regulated condominium conversions. In 2007, when the City of Chicago convened a Condo Conversion Task Force, Lakeside staff contributed testimony and helped push for reforms that would address developer abuses, insufficient protections of tenant rights, and the lack of disclosure for prospective home buyers. The Task Force's final recommendations, released in late 2010, reflected many of Lakeside's key concerns. Lakeside staff also participated in hearings concerning reforms to the Illinois Condominium Property Act. Since 2010, Lakeside has been working to create state and local ombudsman's offices to help improve the experience of community association residents in the region and state.

Lakeside recognizes that affordable housing can be produced by innovative use of zoning and building codes. Lakeside has supported an initiative called Housing Plus, which helps property owners convert underused spaces in multifamily buildings into affordable and accessible rental apartments. Lakeside also supports the use of efficient and compact design, increasing the use of in-law apartments, and reducing parking requirements on buildings that provide affordable housing.

Community Leadership

Lakeside convened and served as chair of the Partners for Rogers Park (PRP) housing committee from 2007 through 2009. During this time, PRP completed a community wide needs assessment. The lack of affordable housing ranked first, second, and third among community concerns! Lakeside led the creation of a housing plan for PRP, which identified key objectives and activities in areas concerning rental services and rental preservation, policy, and leadership development. Lakeside staff also helped organize a first-ever community planning process through PRP and produced research on rental housing conditions in Rogers Park, which highlighted major differences in the opportunities and experiences of white, black, and Hispanic residents.

Lakeside consistently favors increasing neighborhood residents' involvement in zoning and land use decision-making, especially renters, low-income residents, and persons who support affordable housing preservation. Lakeside was closely involved in the development of the West Rogers Park Community Organization and helped create its Community Planning Board. In 2009, Lakeside and WRPCO completed a property inventory of Western Avenue and collected hundreds of residents' and business owners' surveys, which helped inform a community planning process concerning the future of Western Avenue.