Housing Action Illinois mobilizes organizations to end homelessness, address the shortage of affordable rental housing, and expand homeownership opportunities.
For more than 35 years, we have brought together member organizations from across Illinois united in our vision of expanding affordable housing and ending homelessness. Our members include housing counseling agencies, homeless service providers, developers of affordable housing, and policymakers.
Our work has led to tens of thousands of new homes being built, hundreds of thousands of people going from housing insecurity or homelessness to having stable homes, and millions of renters gaining better protections. Working with our members and allies, we’ve created access and housing opportunities in every community throughout Illinois.
Policy Advocacy
We mobilize our members to advocate for policies that help end homelessness, create affordable rental housing, and promote sustainable homeownership. Together, our voice is stronger.
Capacity Building
We help housing counseling agencies and developers build their capacity and expand their resources. We are a HUD-approved Intermediary and manage an AmeriCorps network. Together, our impact is greater.
Education & Organizing
We build awareness, activate change, and shift narratives by sharing information and real-life stories with policymakers, nonprofit service providers, and the media.
Recent Happenings
2023 Housing Matters Conference Materials
Presentation slides and other workshop materials from this year’s conference are now available to download.
National Community Development Award Presented to Executive Director
Housing Action Illinois Executive Director Sharon Legenza was presented the Diane Sterner Award for Community Development Association Leadership.
2022 Annual Report: Building Momentum
Explore our 2022 Annual Report to learn about our new strategic pillars and hear about key programmatic accomplishments from last year.
Welcoming Full-Year AmeriCorps Members
This August, we placed 40 full-year AmeriCorps Members with our member organizations. Our Housing Counseling Corps members are placed in Illinois and six other states nationwide.
2023 General Assembly Wrap-Up
The IL General Assembly just finished its 2023 session. We’re celebrating historic investments in ending homelessness and other wins.
Upcoming Trainings & Events
We build the capacity of housing nonprofits through trainings, with a specific focus on supporting housing counselors. We also host an annual conference and an annual benefit.