Debra Pearson, a single, working mother of three teenage children, knows how hard it is to find affordable housing in Evanston.

Even with a Section 8 voucher covering about 30 to 40 percent of her rent and letters of recommendation from community leaders, Pearson still struggled to find a decent, affordable place to rent.

The full-time receptionist said without the voucher and support from community groups such as Evanston Neighborhood Conference, she would not be able to afford to live in Evanston.

Still, a stigma followed her when she settled on the 1500 block of Madison Street.

“I don’t even have long distance on my phone,” Pearson said. “I’m down to the basics, but I’m not complaining.”

Affordable housing is a scarce commodity in Evanston and around the North Shore. Even though the area is rich in jobs, not many people who work in the area can afford to live here. Many people are forced to commute long hours to work, costing them time with their families.

Karen Chavers, director of Evanston Neighborhood Conference, said it is unfair to expect people to commute long distances. Employees of North Shore businesses should be able to afford to live nearby. “Every household is entitled to safe and clean shelter,” she said.

According to Mike Gwinn, a legislative aide for State Rep. Julie Hamos, D-Evanston, there are more Section 8 vouchers in Evanston than in any other community in Cook County, except Chicago and Harvey, in southern Cook County. Gwinn said his office works with landlords to persuade them to accept Section 8 vouchers.

Gwinn said their office is working to create an affordable housing subcommittee, which would travel throughout Illinois, hold hearings on affordable housing and conduct research.

It is not illegal for landlords to discriminate against people who have Section 8 housing vouchers, but Pearson said landlords should recognize that those renters are still good people. She said sometimes landlords are leery of renting to families with teenagers because they assume teens will cause problems. She said she makes sure her two daughters and son behave.

“I’m blessed they aren’t in the streets,” Pearson said.

Gwinn said that from a business standpoint, it is a good idea for landlords to rent to people with Section 8 vouchers because the payment is guaranteed.

Pearson said she loves living in Evanston because the school system is much better than in Chicago. She had to look for new housing because her old apartment building was being renovated. The quiet environment of her new neighborhood is also a benefit, Pearson said.

Evanston city officials and community groups are trying to ease a lack of affordable housing. Housing Opportunity Development Corporation just opened Claridge Apartments on the 300 block of Dempster Street, where studios rent for $350 per month. All 100 units are already filled, and there is a waiting list, said Richard Koenig, executive director of the development corporation.

Koenig said the inexpensive rent at Claridge allows people who don’t have Section 8 vouchers to live there. Renters undergo a screening process to make sure they can afford rent. In 1999 the average rent for a studio apartment in Evanston was $590 a month, according to information compiled by the Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs.

Evanston has taken steps to provide affordable housing, said James Wolinski, director of community development. An affordable, four-bedroom house at 1816 Darrow Ave. should be completed by the end of September and will be sold for $175,000, he said.

The city donated the land, which is why the selling price is so low, Wolinski said. If the value of the land were included, the house would cost between $225,000 and $250,000.

Evanston resident Doree Stein said the Darrow Avenue project is good, but the city needs to do more.

“If Evanston wants to be known as a diverse community, they are going to have to stop building so many condominiums,” Stein said. “Evanston is becoming yuppyized.”

The city also has worked to make sure that 10 of the 194 units in the new condo development at 1930 Ridge Ave. are affordable.

Evanston needs to develop a strategic plan to entice more developers to build affordable housing, Chavers said. Because it took a while to work out the deal with the developers of 1930 Ridge Ave., some developers might be discouraged from including affordable housing in their buildings, she added.

Chavers also said Evanston needs to have an ordinance on inclusionary zoning, which would require new developments to provide a percentage of affordable units.

She added that the first step to solving the housing problem is to find out what the community wants. The coalition of North Shore Suburban Housing Partners met April 22 at St. Francis School in Wilmette to discuss affordable housing issues with the community. At the forum, residents said broad questions about community values need to be answered.

“Affordable is a word we have yet to define,” Chavers said.