South suburban mayors tackle home vacancy rate

A group of mayors in Chicago's south suburbs says the region has among the highest home vacancy rates in the state.

So the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association says it wants to tackle the problem head-on.

For one, several communities have adopted tougher laws, like vacant-building registration which requires homeowners to provide contact information and pay fees.

And many are joining the South Suburban Housing Collaborative which was formed last year to address vacancies.

That means …