Housing Developer Updates | Housing Action Illinois

Announcing the Cairo Housing Needs Action Plan

Kristin Ginger — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 20:40:48 +0000

Housing Action Illinois, in partnership with local leaders, residents, and government officials, has published a Cairo Housing Needs Action Plan that explores the pressing housing challenges faced by the City of Cairo, Illinois and shares actionable steps to address them.

This initiative, led by Housing Action Illinois in collaboration with local leaders and residents, is a response to Cairo’s long history of disinvestment and aligns with our mission to expand access to quality, affordable housing across Illinois.

The plan is based on months of engagement with Cairo residents and leaders. Through listening sessions, stakeholder meetings, and housing task force discussions, we identified key issues, including a lack of affordable housing, high utility costs, and economic challenges.

Our action plan outlines solutions such as revising zoning codes, creating development districts, instituting pre-approved building plans for residential development, creating a homesteading program to transfer underutilized lots to residents, hiring a coordinator to manage development activities, and leveraging state and federal resources to revitalize the community, and more. These strategies aim to revitalize Cairo, attract displaced residents back to the community, and support sustainable housing development.

We undertook the project after an invitation by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), and it was made possible through funding from IDHS, provided via the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness.

We are grateful to the Cairo Housing Task Force, local officials, and community members for their invaluable contributions. Together, we can build a brighter future for Cairo.

Read the full action plan »

Affordable Housing Special Assessment Program: New State Law Creates Property Tax Incentive to Create and Preserve Affordable Rental Homes

bobhail — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 16:19:31 +0000

2025 Update!

This state law was amended during the 2025 General Assembly session, as part of the revenue bill, HB 2755. (See the changes starting on the bottom of page 1,064.) These provisions went into effect immediately upon being signed into law on June 16, 2025, including extending the program through calendar year 2034. Most all of the other changes were relativelty minor and technical in nature. All the provisions from the stand alone bill, SB 1911, were include in the revenue bill, including extending the program through 2034. We will update and reorganize this blog post soon. Here is a detailed summary of the changes to AHSAP included in the 2025 legislation.

Overview of Key Provisions in 2021 Law

As part of the omnibus legislation to create and preserve affordable rental homes across Illinois that was signed into law on July 29, 2021, HB 2621, there are provisions establishing a new property tax incentive, the Affordable Housing Special Assessment Program, for owners of properties with 7 or more units to invest in their properties while keeping rents affordable. (Note that some of the provisions in the original bill have subsequently been amended. Please refer to Property Tax Code (35 ILCS 200/15-178) for the current law.)

Owners of eligible properties that are newly constructed or meet the rehabilitation requirements receive a reduction in the assessed value of their property in exchange for keeping a certain percentage of the units affordable.

The policy does not impact property tax rates or taxing district levies, so there is no risk to taxing districts of lost property tax revenue.

In higher cost housing markets, the incentives will keep rents affordable in at least 15% of a property’s housing units. In lower cost markets, the incentives will promote owners making improvements to their properties, benefiting both the building’s residents and the community. Both market rate and affordable developers can participate.

The required investment in the new construction or substantial rehabilitation of property will increase the assessed values of properties and expand the tax base. The reduction will be applied to the higher, post-construction assessed value. The new incentives do not impact property tax rates or taxing district levies, so there is no risk to taxing districts of lost property tax revenue.

The affordability level targeted by the incentives are to serve households with incomes at or below 60% of area median income (AMI). In the six-county Chicago area, this was $66,180 for a family of four in 2023. AMIs in other parts of the state vary by county. Current maximum tenant income and rents based on household size for all counties in Illinois are available from the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) by downloading income limits and maximum rent as an Excel file available at this link. (Use the “regular” maximum rents and income limits in the Excel file.) Maximum rents and income limits will be updated annually by IHDA.

There are three different incentive levels, two that are available for owners to apply for in any area where the program is offered and one where the only eligible properties are available in communities with lower amounts of affordable housing. The incentive levels were designed to provide enough of an assessed value reduction to incentivize owners to charge affordable rents in different types of markets.

15% Affordability: Requires new construction or rehab costing $8 per square foot and improvements of two primary building systems. Providing 15% or more affordable units for at least 10 years results in a 25% decrease in assessed value. We believe this tier will be most attractive in higher cost markets.
35% Affordability: Requires new construction or rehab costing $12.50 per square foot and improvements of two primary building systems. Providing 35% or more affordable units for at least 10 years results in a 35% reduction in assessed value. This tier will be more attractive where market rate rents are closer to those required by the program.
20% Affordability: Requires new construction or rehab costing $60 per square foot and improvements of five primary building systems. There is also a requirement for project labor agreement with the applicable local building trades council for this level of inentive. Providing 20% or more affordable units results in a reduction in assessed value phased out over the course of the 30 years of required affordability. Outside Chicago, this tier is only available in “low affordability communities,” where 40% or less of the total housing stock for a municipality is affordable, as determined by IHDA. Based on IHDA’s most recent analysis, released in December 2023, this is currently 146 of 1,298 municipalities, or about 11% of all communities. IHDA’s current statewide affordability list is available here. In Chicago, this option is available in the downtown area and potentially other areas, if approved by a City Council ordinance. The rationale for this level if incentive is that low affordability communities have higher development costs, necessitating a higher property tax reduction to incentivize owners to keep rents affordable.

Investment thresholds are adjusted annually for inflation. The incentive levels, investment requirements and other program details are briefly summarized in this table. A more detailed summary of all property tax provisions in HB 2621 is available here.

The legislative language in the Property Tax Code (35 ILCS 200/15-178) provides additional details about eligibility requirements, qualifying investments, the application process and more.

The state law includes provisions allowing for annual or periodic recertification of eligibility to continue receiving the assessed value reduction, including compliance with local building codes, affordability of rents, tenant income eligibility and any additional reasonably required by the chief county assessment officer.

Outside of Cook County, provisions in HB 2621 allow county governments to opt-out of offering the 15%/35% incentives (“subparagraph (1) of subsection (c)”) and/or the 20% incentives (“subparagraph (2) of subsection (c)”). State law also provides counties the ability to opt back in after opting out, e.g., to decide to delay implementation for a certain period of time.

However, after reviewing the program in detail, we are confident that counties will decide that these new property tax policies are excellent tools to promote investment, expand the tax base and serve the affordable housing needs of people in their community.

Additional Resources:

On September 23, 2021 the Illinois Housing Council and others hosted a webinar on the new property tax incentive. You can see the recording here.
On October 6, 2021 Housing Action Illinois held a workshop session on the new tools at our annual conference. You can see slides from The Preservation Compact here and Housing Action Illinois here.
In January 2022, the Cook County Assessor posted their initial application for the “Affordable Housing Special Assessment Program,” as well as other resource materials on the program, here. A DocuSign account is necessary to view the application (a free account can be created here). To receive the special assessment on the 2024 tax bill for the 2023 assessment year, eligible applicants should submit parts 1 and 2 of the application no later than September 5th of the same assessment year. Those interested in looking at a sample application can download blank PDF versions of both parts of the 2022 application, which may have been subsequently updated, at these links: Part 1 and Part 2. There is some information specific to Cook County in the application, e.g., references to the Cook County Class 9 Program.
The Lake County Assessor has posted their application for what they are calling the “Affordable Housing Tax Credit” here. To receive this special assessment on the 2024 tax bill for the 2023 assessment year applicants must have submitted their documentation no later than June 30, 2023.
If you have questions about whether another county has decided to opt out of offering these incentives, please check with the local tax assessor’s office.
The state law allows county assessors to determine a reasonable application fee and set certain other application requirements. Property owners should confirm what these application requirements are prior to submitting an application. In August 2023, the Illinois Department of Revenue revised a sample set of application documents, but they way not match the application created and required by your local county. Housing Action Illinois has posted the IDOR sample forms here for illustrative purposes. Please check with your local county to determine actual application requirements and to see if they will accept the IDOR sample forms as part of the application process.
The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) has created a webpage with information on this and other provisions in the Property Tax Code to encourage the development and rehabilitation of affordable housing. Access that here.

For more information, please contact Bob Palmer, Policy Director for Housing Action Illinois, 312-939-6075 or bob@housingactionil.org.

LGBTQ+ Elder Housing Initiative

admin — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 19:55:27 +0000

While many seniors have difficulty finding affordable housing, LGBTQ+ elders face barriers that are both common and unique. As queer and transgender people age, they are less likely to have children or family that can support them as they age in place. Traditional senior living residences and nursing homes often have no experience with LGBTQ+ clients and assumptions about queer and trans elders can run the gamut from annoying to offensive.

That’s why Services & Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Elders (SAGE) created the National LGBTQ+ Elder Housing Initiative, a series of free training videos for housing developers, property management, and service providers. The trainings focus on a wide range of topics, including Fair Housing Law, LIHTC 101, LGBTQ+ history and culture, to building trust and community buy-in and the importance of partnering with an anchor organization.

Focusing on successful LGBTQ+ senior housing provides a glimpse into the impact of affirming housing on these elders. One of the developments highlighted is Town Hall Apartments, Chicago’s first LGBTQ-friendly senior housing, developed by Heartland Alliance and the Center on Halsted in 2014. The trainings also profile intergenerational housing as a way to provide stable housing and mentorship for LGBTQ+ youth as well as support and housing for LGBTQ+ elders. One Roof Chicago, for example, aims to provide formal intergenerational housing to tackle queer and trans youth homelessness and culturally competent LGBTQ+ senior living.

These free training resources from SAGE’s National LGBTQ+ Elder Housing Initiative are intended to ensure that more seniors are affirmed and respected in their identity and can feel truly at home.

Learn more and register for trainings »

Download SAGE’s Housing Development Toolkit: Strategies for Housing Developers and Nonprofits/CBOs in Developing LGBTQ-Affirming Affordable Elder Housing »

Diversifying Revenue through Social Enterprise

admin — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 21:37:02 +0000

A social enterprise is a publicly responsible and innovative venture, driven by unmet community needs, that exists as a hybrid of the traditional nonprofit and business models. Broadly, these ventures can be classified into three categories defined by the Social Enterprise Alliance: opportunity employment; donate back; and transformative product or service.

Let’s look at how some housing organizations in Illinois are diversifying their revenue sources through social enterprise…

BETHANY VILLAGE THRIFT SHOP, Anna

At Bethany Village Thrift Shop, great finds come with great impact. After operating in a rental space for about three years, where they barely managed to clear costs, the shop and its established clientele moved to a building more than double in size that was owned by Bethany Village itself. Separated by a sidewalk from the organization’s food pantry and apartment building, the new shop, which opened in 2011, has become a community destination.

“When you establish this kind of operation in the community, so many people begin to identify with the whole place,” explains Wally King, Executive Director. “And when people think of Bethany Village, they think of Bethany Village as the whole thing.” The “whole thing” for this Southern Illinoisan nonprofit includes all the services that provide families in need with basic necessities: food, housing, clothing, and more. “Without the thrift store, we wouldn’t be here,” says Wally. The store generates $70,000-$80,000 in gross income annually, selling items that are priced as low as 25 cents at times. Through the thrift shop, Bethany Village gets critical funds to support its operations, and shoppers of all socioeconomic levels get a department store experience for a fraction of the cost. The store is operated by a single manager and a handful of volunteers who often come from the organization’s housing units. In fact, a few of the people who managed the thrift shop over the years started out in the homeless shelter.

“You’re taking someone who is homeless, giving them job training, and then putting them in charge of the entire operation,” shares Wally.

BRIGHT ENDEAVORS, Chicago

For young moms living in poverty, Bright Endeavors helps light the way to brighter futures. This Chicago- based social enterprise, which was established in 2007 and then merged with the long-standing nonprofit, New Moms in 2010, teaches participants how to craft premium soy candles for nationwide distribution. Along with paid transitional jobs in candle-making, young moms receive housing and job training to facilitate successful entry into the workforce.

“We view social enterprise as a critical component to sustaining and successfully providing job training,” says New Moms and Bright Endeavors CEO Laura Zumdahl. Bright Endeavors produces over $250,000 in earned revenue annually, all of which goes directly back into the program. This opportunity employment model has resulted in 61% of young moms remaining in permanent employment one year after graduation, compared to the national average of 39% for similar programs. “[Participants] leave with a sense of confidence and achievement that they may not have foreseen before,” adds Gabrielle Calver-McNeal, Assistant Director of Workforce Development. Sometimes all it takes is a single spark to begin a great transformation.

BREAKING GROUND, Chicago

In 1987, Mark Ennis purchased a vacant building in North Lawndale and recruited members of the community to restore it, including some who had been using the space for shelter.

Today, that model has translated into a successful community development corporation called Breaking Ground, which aims to educate and empower families against the consequences of urban poverty while providing vital manufacturing and construction services for the community.

Breaking Ground’s APL Teaching Factory prepares over 250 students annually for entry-level manufacturing positions and is supported by Breaking Ground’s status as a reliable developer and general contractor for the community. Through its Affordable Homes Program, graduates of the APL Teaching Factory are employed in new construction and neighborhood stabilization projects.

Breaking Ground also operates Cleanstreet, a neighborhood beautification business serving 10 business districts across the City of Chicago, that employs people with barriers to entry into the workforce. Through Breaking Ground Staffing, they support other employers who hire veterans, ex-offenders, or welfare recipients by completing their tax paperwork as part of their broader efforts to provide work placement for those in their education program. Jeff Dennis, executive director, explains that all of these “economic engines” are created to support the teaching factory and provide income for people in the process of job training.

HABITAT RESTORE, Champaign

Habitat ReStore provides families with the supplies needed to furnish their homes in order to secure the funds to build homes for others. By collecting and selling gently used furniture, appliances, electronics, household items and home improvement supplies,they are able to reinves all proceeds into the work of Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County. Reusable items from Habitat’s own deconstruction projects are often put up for sale as well.

As one of over 750 ReStores nationwide and 19 locations in Illinois, Champaign’s ReStore, which opened in 2003, has been a steady source of revenue for the organization’s efforts to build and renovate safe homes for low-income families. Virtually all administrative costs are covered by ReStore revenues, allowing other donations to go directly into home building. In addition to donating back to its programs to provide affordable housing in Champaign, the 15,000 square foot store prevents over 200 tons of materials from going to the landfill annually. Through a local cycle of giving, buying, and reinvesting, Habitat ReStore promotes both community involvement and environmental consciousness.

Thinking about starting your own social enterprise? Check out the following resources.

REDF: Invests in social enterprises by providing financial and advisory services.

Social Enterprise Alliance: Helps grow the network and build the capacity of its members on a national scale.

The Community Law Project: Provides legal assistance to community-based organizations focused on community and economic development.

CiTTA Partnership: Offers strategic planning and consulting serves to bring financial growth along with social impact.

8 Reasons We’re Proud of 2018

admin — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 19:12:53 +0000

1. We were awarded $1.26 million by HUD to support housing counseling programs in the Midwest

The funds will be distributed across our growing Intermediary network of 33 agencies in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Missouri to support programs that help families rent or buy safe, affordable homes and prevent foreclosures, like the family pictured with us below.

2. We passed a law to protect children from lead poisoning

This new law will update Illinois’s definition of elevated blood lead level for children, bringing it up to CDC standards. Bob Palmer, our policy director, co-authored an op-ed that explains how Illinois has the chance to become a national leader in preventing lead poisoning.

**3. We hosted our largest Housing Matters! conference to date**

Nearly 300 housing champions joined us in Bloomington for our annual conference. Participants shared their ideas and experiences and benefited from the “extraordinarily useful” workshops, “lively and empowering discussions,” and presenters who were “inspirational and gave strength to continue the daily struggle!”

4. We co-authored a new report, Prejudged: The Stigma of Eviction Records

The report, released in March, shows that 39% of cases in Cook County do not result in an eviction order or other judgement against the tenant, but these tenants still end up with a filing on the public record that makes it harder for them to find housing in the future.

5. We developed new trainings for housing counselors

We created an Online Study Group to help housing counselors prepare for the HUD Certification Exam. Each of the series’ five sessions teaches vital test information, quizzes participants on what they’ve learned, and answers the most pressing questions about the exam. 100% of study group participants who’ve taken the exam have passed! We also hosted our first training on Counseling Clients with Student Loan Debt. Attendees spent three days learning how to best offer student loan counseling as a new service.

6. We launched the Community Revitalization Challenge

This new initiative connects community-based organizations with financial institutions to design and implement projects that increase access to affordable housing at a local level.Over 40 community organizations and financial institutions met at our annual conference in October to discuss their initial community development ideas.

7. We traveled throughout Illinois to listen, talk, and connect with member organizations and communities

Half a dozen Housing Action staff traveled throughout Central, Southern, and Northwestern Illinois to engage with more than 126 individuals from 75 organizations during our summer Outreach Caravan. We hosted fair housing and storytelling trainings, listened to the challenges and successes of our member organizations, shared Housing Action updates, and identified ways we can meet the needs of and further connect with groups throughout the state.

8. Our VISTAs kept the future looking bright

Our network of 27 full-year AmeriCorp VISTAs and our second cohort of 30 VISTA Summer Associates helped increase the capacity of our member organizations by working on sustainable programming. Their projects ranged from researching food insecurity in Chicago Heights to supporting a Coordinated Entry program for people experiencing homelessness. These passionate individuals inspire us and keep us looking ahead to a new year filled with new successes.

Our Housing Counseling Intermediary Network is Growing

admin — Wed, 29 Aug 2018 21:08:56 +0000

Housing Action is thrilled to announce the addition of four new agencies to our Housing Counseling Intermediary network: Latin United Community Housing Association, Open Communities, Total Resource Community Development Corporation, and Community Investment Corporation of Decatur.

With these additions, our network has grown to 30 HUD-approved housing counseling agencies who serve low- and moderate- income communities across Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Michigan. Their expert housing counselors provide guidance on home purchase or rental, financial management, mortgage solutions, discriminatory or predatory practices, preventing foreclosure and homelessness, and more.

Housing Action Illinois became a HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Intermediary in 2014 in order to support this critical work. As an Intermediary, we aim to build the capacity of these vital housing counseling agencies. We provide pass-through funds and assist our affiliate agencies with reporting, training, and identifying funding opportunities.

Get to know our new affiliates.

Latin United Community Housing Association (LUCHA) – Chicago, IL

LUCHA has been empowering people against the struggle of housing injustice and discrimination since 1982. While serving over 2,000 low- to-moderate-income clients per year through housing counseling services, LUCHA has also been advancing housing as a human right through its community organization and advocacy. They built and currently manage 198 affordable rental housing units in Humboldt Park, Logan Square, and West Town and provide numerous educational services to predominantly Latino and African American communities of the Northwest side of Chicago.

Open Communities – Evanston, IL

Situated amidst Chicago’s Northern suburbs, Open Communities draws upon its roots in the civil rights movement to promote nondiscriminatory housing practices. Their services extend to homeowners, tenants, and landlords alike to prevent housing discrimination, foreclosures, and unhealthy tenant-landlord relationships. By educating clients on their rights, responsibilities, and available resources, Open Communities helps make affordable housing a reality in communities that are historically lacking in diversity.

Total Resource Community Development Corporation (TRCDO) – Chicago, IL

In just under 20 years as an organization, TRCDO has made substantial gains in its efforts to empower individuals, families, and communities. TRCDO offers housing support, utilities and energy assistance, a food pantry, and youth and health services. The organization served nearly 40,000 people in 2016 with $5.7 million dollars of tangible assistance allocated to homeowners and families in need.

Community Investment Corporation (CIC) of Decatur – Decatur, IL

CIC of Decatur is a lead investor in neighborhood revitalization projects that focus on the acquisition, rehabilitation, and preservation of affordable rental housing. Their investments are sourced from a variety of private, public, and philanthropic entities. CIC of Decatur is certified by the United States Department of the Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution.

New Faces at Housing Action Illinois

admin — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 16:57:12 +0000

Housing Action Illinois has come a long way since we hired our first full-time staff member in 1988—a single employee who shared our offices with the Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing. Today, we have 14 full-time staff members, and we’ve grown so quickly that we needed to move to a larger office at 67 E. Madison Street. Since August, we’ve welcomed two new team members: Timm Krueger and Wanda Collins.

Timm Krueger is filling a new role for Housing Action Illinois: Marketing and Communications Consultant. His career started at a small property management company in Peoria. From there, Timm found his calling as Community Relations Manager for the Peoria Housing Authority (PHA), where he helped shape agency-wide policies and improve PHA’s relationship with its residents and the community at-large. After relocating to Chicago in 2015, he spent two years as a Senior Marketing and Communications Associate at SmithBucklin, developing advanced experience in email, social media and website marketing.

Timm’s career is driven not just by his skillset, but also his passion for social change. “I want to help people—plain and simple,” Timm said. “This role is a perfect match because it allows me to pass along my knowledge in marketing and communications in a way that helps organizations better assist their prospective and existing clients. Knowing that even the smallest project I can help on will potentially impact thousands of people is incredibly humbling.”

As our Marketing and Communications Consultant, Timm works one-on-one with Foreclosure Prevention Program-Graduated (FPP-G) grantee organizations to effectively promote their programs and services to their community.

Wanda Collins, meanwhile, is joining Bibian Cristino and Jennifer Pallas as Housing Action’s newest Capacity Building Specialist. Wanda brings more than 15 years of experience in the mortgage and housing industry to her position. She started her career in loan origination and mortgage underwriting before moving into foreclosure prevention counseling. Most recently, she served as the Manager of Homeownership Services at Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, where her team provided an array of housing counseling services.

After hearing so much misinformation within the mortgage and housing industry, Wanda made it her mission to help people navigate the homeownership process. “This may sound cliché, but providing the public with reputable, sound information has always been a passion of mine,” said Wanda. “Education is still key. Whether it is discussing loan products, advising a client on how to prevent a foreclosure, or coaching a client toward financial security, housing professionals are essential in this industry.”

Housing Action’s Capacity Building Specialists work with our Director of Technical Assistance to coordinate and implement our training and consulting program, which helps housing counseling agencies and housing developers build their capacity through workshops, one-on-one support, direct technical assistance, and working groups on key issues.

Both Timm and Wanda emphasized that their previous engagement with Housing Action Illinois drew them to apply for their positions.

“My first real interaction with Housing Action was a conversation with Policy Director Bob Palmer. I had a question on housing policy, and he graciously took an hour out of his day to explain the nuances to me, which had a direct, positive impact on my work at PHA,” Timm said. “When I applied to work here, I knew that I was applying to work at a place where the employees care.”

Wanda highlighted the strength of Housing Action’s wide-reaching advocacy work, saying, “My first impression of the organization was that it was a true advocate—and not just for its members—by being an agent of education, coalition-building, and furthering the cause of affordable housing.”

7 Reasons We’re Proud of 2017

Kristin Ginger — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 22:37:20 +0000

1. Housing Action Illinois turned 30!

We celebrated thirty years of leading the movement for affordable homes in Illinois—and renewed our resolve to continue working until everyone in our state has a stable, healthy, affordable place to call home.

2. We passed a law protecting would-be homeowners in Illinois

We’re proud to say that despite a challenging year, Housing Action Illinois’ work resulted in a number of legislative wins. One of our standout accomplishments this year was successfully advocating for statewide protections for homebuyers from often predatory rent-to-own contracts, securing some of the strongest consumer safeguards in the nation.

3. We traveled to 20 organizations to take the pulse of housing issues in Central and Southern Illinois

This past summer, we hit the road to talk about the need for quality affordable housing across our state. Our trip helped us understand the challenges and successes of housing advocates and practitioners throughout Illinois and build support for affordable housing in Central and Southern counties.

4. Our VISTAs did amazing work…and we launched a summer program!

Housing Action Illinois manages a network of about 25 AmeriCorps VISTAs, placed at our member organizations throughout the state, who spend a full year working on sustainable projects that help end poverty and homelessness through affordable housing and economic empowerment. We also launched a Summer VISTA Associate program that placed nearly 30 VISTAs for 8 – 10 weeks to tackle capacity-building and direct service projects. All together, our VISTA network helped bring in almost $600,000 in cash and in-kind donations and recruited or managed more than 4,700 volunteers who served more than 12,500 hours.

5. We trained hundreds of housing counselors who help families find good homes

In addition to our regular roster of trainings for housing counselors, we developed a brand new training to introduce housing counselors to rental counseling so they can help families find and apply for apartments and navigate issues with landlords. We also hosted our first housing counselor training outside of Illinois—we headed to Phoenix to help housing counselors in Arizona learn a HUD-approved client management system.

6. We brought 200+ Housing Champions together in person

This year, our annual conference united more than 200 housing practitioners and advocates in Bloomington, Illinois to learn, network, and collaborate. Our keynote speaker, Dr. Megan Sandel, gave a presentation on how where you live affects your health that participants described as “full of great insights,” “inspiring,” and “dynamic” and that even motivated one to “take 14 pages of notes” on information that “will make a huge impact on our community.”

7. We spoke up for better housing policies—and will keep speaking up in 2018

We met with legislators in Springfield and D.C. to help them understand why investing in housing is so important for our communities. We also helped our member organizations share stories about how proven housing programs help families thrive and why we believe housing is a human right. We’re gearing up to raise our voices in 2018 to continue defending past accomplishments and working toward new wins.

Housing Action Trainings Go Nationwide

Kristin Ginger — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 20:10:45 +0000

We’re excited to announce that Housing Action Illinois is beginning to facilitate housing counselor trainings not just in Illinois but in states across the nation.

In response to needs expressed by housing counselors, Housing Action has started to develop our own guides and trainings in the last couple of years. We began by publishing a guide to HUD-approved Client Management Systems that presents side-by-side profiles of each system to help housing counseling agencies choose the one that best fits their needs.

Next, we created a comprehensive, hands-on training to teach housing counselors how to use Home Counselor Online (HCO). HCO is a free CMS developed and managed by Fannie Mae that can make required reporting to HUD and other funders easier.

Most recently, we’ve created step-by-step training to teach housing counselors how to help clients through rental counseling. Americans are more likely to rent a home today than at any other time during the previous 50 years. Given this landscape, it is essential for housing counselors to empower clients with information and resources during every step of the rental process. Our curriculum includes an extensive collection of resources and more than a dozen templates for housing counselors to use as they aid their clients.

This September, we’re partnering with Rural Community Assistance Corps (RCAC) to bring Housing Counselor Online Made Easy to Phoenix, and we’re looking forward to traveling to half a dozen other states in the coming year to facilitate trainings with host organizations.

Our next training, which will help housing counselors guide clients dealing with student loan debt, is forthcoming.

Interested in bringing a Housing Action Illinois training to your community? We’d love to talk. Contact David Young, our Director of Technical Assistance, at 312.939.6074 x202 or david@housingactionil.org.

IHDA Accepting Applications for Long Term Operating Support (LTOS) Special Demonstration Program: New Financing Available to Create Permanent Supportive Housing

bobhail — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:00:03 +0000

On Tuesday, April 30, the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) began accepting applications from landlords for a portion of up to $10 million in Long Term Operating Support (LTOS) Special Demonstration Program grant funding under the Rental Housing Support Program.

Governor Pat Quinn signed into law House Bill 5450 to create additional integrated supportive housing units across the State of Illinois. This enabled the LTOS program to target extremely low-income people referred through the Statewide Referral Network. As a result of this supportive housing law, up to $10 million in rental housing subsidies may be made available over 15 years to eligible landlords to help up to 150 households headed by a person with a disability. The program is funded through a $10 fee collected from real estate document recordings.

Applications will be accepted until 3 p.m. June 10.