At the start of 2025, we were excited to welcome Nick Dodson to our Board of Directors for a three year term. A passionate advocate for housing justice, Nick serves as a Housing Navigator for the Heartland Continuum of Care. His unique perspective and deep commitment to helping people in crisis are invaluable to Housing Action’s mission to create an Illinois where everyone has a good, stable home.
Nick began his career in the hospitality industry, managing hotels and restaurants before transitioning into housing and social justice work. Witnessing systemic inequities in the for-profit sector inspired him to switch his focus to fight for affordable housing solutions. His background in hospitality helped him build strong relationships across public and private sectors— knowing that real change requires collaboration from all sides.
In addition to his housing advocacy, Nick serves as Chair of the Sangamon Valley Sierra Club, an environmental organization dedicated to protecting natural resources and promoting sustainability. In 2024, he played a key role in stopping a proposed ordinance that would have further criminalized homelessness. He was also instrumental in creating and implementing the Landlord Risk Mitigation Fund, a program that incentivizes landlords to rent to individuals at risk of homelessness by providing financial protections and support.
Nick Dodson, Housing Navigator of Heartland Continuum of Care
Nick Dodson speaking at a Sangamon Valley Sierra Club event
Nick’s ongoing efforts to strengthen partnerships between direct service providers, landlords, and government agencies have expanded housing opportunities for hundreds of individuals and families in Central Illinois.
Driven by an unwavering belief in community, Nick sees homelessness as one of the greatest humanitarian crises in America. A self-described idealist, he remains hopeful to see creative housing solutions emerge in 2025 and he aims to shift public perceptions on homelessness “I want to help people see that everyone is just a few steps, a few emergencies away from homelessness,” he says. “Our safety nets are more fragile than most realize, and we must create an inclusive environment where all people have access to safe, stable housing.”