For Immediate Release: July 23, 2026
Contact: Kristin Ginger, Director of Communications & Development, Housing Action Illinois, kristin@housingactionil.org or 312-854-3333

CHICAGO, IL – Full-time workers need to earn $30.36 per hour to afford a modest, two-bedroom apartment at Fair Market Rent in Illinois. This is Illinois’ “2026 Housing Wage” according to Out of Reach, a report published jointly today by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) and Housing Action Illinois.

Out of Reach, released annually, documents the gulf between wages and what people need to earn to afford their rents. The report shows that affordable rental homes remain out of reach for millions of low-wage workers and their families. The report’s Housing Wage is an estimate of the hourly wage full-time workers must earn to afford a rental home at HUD’s Fair Market Rent without spending more than 30% of their incomes.

This year, for the first time, the Housing Wage for Illinois has surpassed $30 per hour. Costs in the Chicago metropolitan area are even higher, with a Housing Wage of $34.25. Statewide, the Housing Wage ranges from $39.42 in the Kendall County metropolitan area to $17.62 in certain rural areas of central and southern Illinois.

“High rental costs continue to hurt people with the lowest incomes the most, especially minimum wage earners and people with disabilities,” said Bob Palmer, Policy Director for Housing Action Illinois. “For people experiencing homelessness, it’s a particularly difficult environment to find affordable apartments, both for the directly impacted people and the nonprofits who work with them.”

In Illinois, the maximum monthly Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment for an individual is $994. Therefore, a person on SSI can only afford $298 a month in rent without paying more than 30% of their income for housing. If someone is earning the state minimum wage of $15, they must work 81 hours per week to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment.

In 2026, the average hourly wage earned by Illinois renters is $24. Even for a one bedroom apartment, a worker must earn $26.32.

Out of Reach 2026 highlights the significant need for rental subsidies, such as Housing Choice Vouchers, and deeply affordable rental housing to assist the lowest-income renters. Despite this need, federal resources for affordable housing remain insufficient. Currently, only one in four eligible households receives federal housing assistance due to chronic underfunding. This underfunding is largely a result of housing assistance programs, which are not entitlements, competing for limited discretionary federal funding.

For additional information, and to download the report, visit: http://www.nlihc.org/oor

###

About Housing Action Illinois

Housing Action Illinois has been leading the movement to end homelessness, address the shortage of affordable rental housing, and expand homeownership opportunities in Illinois for nearly 40 years. With our 200+ member organizations, we bring everyone together to work toward our vision of an Illinois where everyone has a stable, good home.

Cornelius’ interest in the housing counseling career stemmed from his time working as a loan officer. He saw how confused many people were about the homebuying process and how easily someone could be pushed into signing agreements that they did not understand. “I saw other loan officers rushing people, urging people to ‘hurry up and sign here’ because a lot of it was commission based so you’ve got to meet the quota,” he explains. This setup is dangerous for uninformed buyers. “People get so excited about buying a home. They don’t understand that there’s a reason why there’s 30 pages of documents you have to sign and 99% of people don’t read it. They really count on someone to slow down and give them that education about what’s going on.” 

Ultimately, Cornelius realized, “I’ve got to get to them the step before me.” When Cornelius was a Loan Officer, he  was invited to present at a HUD Pre-Purchase group education event at Genesis Housing Development (which later merged with Far South CDC), and immediately after the HUD event he later called Genesis asking to become a housing counselor. “My passion is helping people, but my passion is also dealing with finance, so putting it together is how I started my career as a housing counselor,” Cornelius reflects.

The services offered by Far South CDC can help clients at any point in the homebuying process. “We can help anyone at any stage of housing, whether it’s rental, pre-purchase, post-purchase, or foreclosure prevention. We also do financial coaching and disaster counseling.” Whatever challenges the client might be facing, according to Cornelius, “Wherever you are, we’re going to meet you right there where you are.” Client intake starts with a pre-assessment “because a lot of times people may think ‘I want to do this’. We use [the pre-assessment] to get a little bit of background on what the situation is, because there are certain people, for example, that might want repairs on the home–but they’re three months behind [on mortgage payments], so we gotta slow them down. You’re in court, we gotta deal with the court situation first, then we can help with repairs.”

 Cornelius’ passions give him the drive he needs to continue to serve his clients. The stresses of being a housing counselor are often overlooked. “You really have to have a passion in this field,” Cornelius explains. “You’re going to have some people that just panic. They’re scared, they’ve never seen a court summons, they’ve never been asked to go to court for a mortgage. You have some people that are renters and the landlords are trying to do illegal evictions and we have to calm them down. They’re coming to us panicking and scared, but they’re depending on us to help guide them to fix the situation.”

 Despite the challenges, Cornelius recognizes that housing counseling really can change the course of his clients’ lives. “I’m going to treat you the way I would like to be treated. I’m going to put 100% in, like I would want someone to put 100% in to help me. That’s the way that I look at every client that comes. You treat people the way, if you were in desperate need and you came to an organization, how would you want to be treated?”

Organizations like Far South CDC help their communities become more stable. Access to housing counseling resources ensures that people can put down roots in a community and avoid displacement from their homes. “We help renters in the community, we help people in the community achieve the American Dream and get thousands of dollars of grant assistance to help in their journey, and we help people in the community get the most out of their homes by assisting with home repair options and resources,” Cornelius says. Housing Action is committed to building the field of housing counseling in both Illinois communities and beyond, aiming to help more low- to moderate-income families everywhere access the knowledge and resources they need to find and keep safe, affordable housing.

For Immediate Release: June 26, 2026
Contact: Kristin Ginger, Director of Communications & Development, Housing Action Illinois, kristin@housingactionil.org or 312-854-3333

CHICAGO, IL – A new analysis from the National Alliance to End Homelessness finds that 5,105 Illinoisans are at risk of losing their homes as Illinois’ 19 Continuum of Care networks stand to lose more than $60 million in existing federal homelessness funding for permanent supportive housing and other permanent housing under recent changes proposed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

HUD released its FY2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Continuum of Care (CoC) program on June 1. The CoC is our nation’s largest investment in ending homelessness. Funds currently received by CoC networks are subject to a national competitive application process. In a dramatic break from the approach that has been the focus for nearly two  decades, HUD has been proposing to reject evidence-based Housing First policies and practices in favor of short-term assistance, transitional housing and mandatory treatment.

Housing First programs—especially permanent supportive housing—pair stable, affordable housing with mental health care, substance use treatment, medical care for other chronic diseases, and additional support people need to rebuild their lives. Decades of research show this approach is more effective at ending homelessness than alternatives, which matters greatly in a country where there is nowhere near enough affordable housing to begin with.

“Permanent supportive housing is a proven tool to end homelessness, particularly for those with mental illness or substance use disorder, and has had longtime bipartisan support. Replacing permanent housing subsidies with time-limited support or funding for supportive services alone will lead to more people experiencing homelessness, not fewer,” said Mark Ishaug, President and CEO of Thresholds, one of Illinois’ largest and longest serving providers of community mental health treatment and supportive housing.

HUD proposed similar changes for the FY2025 CoC Program NOFO. However, a combination of court decisions and actions by Congress required HUD to renew existing contracts for one year. The provisions in the FY26 NOFO are once again subject to legal challenge. 

“We urge HUD and the administration to reverse course and return to funding what works: permanent supportive housing and other Housing First programs supported by evidence,” said Bob Palmer, Policy Director for Housing Action Illinois.

Many groups in Illinois have been working together to appeal to members of our Congressional delegation to expand funding for the CoC program, keep a focus on Housing First strategies, and require HUD to protect existing permanent supportive housing and the people who live in it. 

These groups include, but are not limited to: Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County, AIDS Foundation Chicago, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Center for Housing and Health, Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness, Chicago Homelessness and Health Response Group for Equity (CHHRGE), Chicago Funders Together to End Homelessness, Christian Community Health Center, Housing Action Illinois, Illinois Shelter Alliance, Lincoln Park Community Services, NAMI Chicago, New Moms, South Suburban PADS, Supportive Housing Providers Association and Thresholds.

View the full analysis from NAEH »

###

About Housing Action Illinois

Housing Action Illinois has been leading the movement to end homelessness, address the shortage of affordable rental housing, and expand homeownership opportunities in Illinois for nearly 40 years. With our 200+ member organizations, we bring everyone together to work toward our vision of an Illinois where everyone has a stable, good home.

Deadline: All comments must be submitted by 12:00 pm CT on Monday, June 29, 2026.

Housing Action Illinois is urging organizations across the state to sign on to a letter opposing HUD’s proposed rescission of the Equal Access Rule (EAR).

What is the Equal Access Rule?

The EAR guarantees equal access to programs and services funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status.

Established more than 10 years ago, it ensures families can remain together in shelter and protects transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming people from being turned away from live-saving resources.

Why This Matters

• Transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals would lose critical housing protections
• All people experiencing homelessness would be affected, not only LGBTQI+ individuals
• Homelessness rates would likely increase, straining local and state budgets
• State and local protections for LGBTQI+ individuals could be undermined

Read the letter and sign on »

Deadline to sign on: 12:00 pm CT on Monday, June 29, 2026.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for taking action. 

Not able to sign on for an organization?

Individuals can also submit comments via regulations.gov. HUD must read and account for comments in a published final rule. Find step-by-step instructions on how to submit comments here.

Stay Tuned

Sign up for our Policy Advocacy alerts »

Support our work by donating or becoming a member today »

Priority deadline to apply: July 17, 2026

Start date: September 8, 2026

Each year, Housing Action Corps matches AmeriCorps members with community-based organizations across Illinois. AmeriCorps is a national service program that connects people and organizations to help end poverty and strengthen communities.

AmeriCorps members take on a variety of roles at their host organizations, all aimed at helping our communities thrive. They expand the scale of programs and services, implement new projects, and build capacity to further the long-term sustainability of anti-poverty programs at their host organizations.

Since 2010, Housing Action Illinois has managed a network of AmeriCorps members in the VISTA program. Housing Action Corps members serve full-time with their organizations for a year-long term. Most of our positions are located in Illinois, but AmeriCorps members in our Housing Counseling Corps can serve with housing counseling agencies nationwide.

If you’re passionate about housing and interested in serving as an AmeriCorps member, or if you know someone who might be, take a look at the various host sites and their postings below. We will update this page and the embedded map as positions open or are filled. If you have questions or need assistance with your application, please email our AmeriCorps team.

To apply, click on the position links below and submit an application through the My AmeriCorps portal. For assistance using the AmeriCorps portal, read detailed instructions on how to apply.

Learn more about Housing Action Corps »

62026-2027 Housing Action Corps Positions

Updated June 2026

Housing Action Corps  |  Housing Counseling Corps

Key Info:

• Priority applications are due by July 17, 2026.
• All positions are full-time (35-40 hrs/week) for a 12 month term.
• Housing Action Corps members start on September 8, 2026.

Housing Action Corps

BEDS Plus, Inc. Summit, IL

• • Position filled

Chicago Rehab Network, Chicago, IL

• • Position filled

Claretian Associates, Chicago, IL

• • Positions filled

Community Partners for Affordable Housing, Libertyville, IL

• • Position filled

DuPage and Chicago South Suburbs Habitat for Humanity, Wheaton, IL

• • Construction Systems Coordinator
  • Development and Veteran Affairs Coordinator

Full Circle Communities, Chicago, IL

• • Position filled

Garfield Park Community Council, Chicago, IL

• • Affordable Housing Development VISTA

Genesis Garden, Macomb, IL

• • Position filled

Greater Alton Community Development Corporation, Alton, IL

• • Position filled

HOPE Fair Housing Center, Wheaton, IL

• • Position filled

Housing Action Illinois – Communications & Development, Chicago, IL

• • Position filled

Housing Action Illinois – Capacity Building, Chicago, IL

• • Training & Outreach VISTA

Housing Forward, IL

• • Positions filled

Lake-McHenry Habitat for Humanity, McHenry, IL

• • Development & Stewardship VISTA
  • Operations Outreach VISTA

LUCHA, Chicago, IL

• • Position filled

NeighborScapes, Homewood & Tinley Park, IL

• • Community Partnerships & Impact VISTA

Northwest Center, Chicago, IL

• • Kelvyn Park Senior Center VISTA

Open Communities, Evanston, IL

• • Position filled

PlatFORM Group, Rockford, IL

• • Position filled

Preservation of Affordable Housing, Chicago, IL

• • Resident Engagement Coordinator
  • Resident Origentation and Economic Mobility Coordinator

The Neighbor Project, Aurora, IL

• • Position filled

The Resurrection Project, Chicago, IL

• • Community Organizer VISTA

Housing Counseling Corps

Housing Counseling Corps is an initiative of Housing Action Corps. Housing Counseling Corps members may be placed with housing counseling agencies nationwide and receive customized training and professional development in housing counseling. 

Affordable Housing Centers of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

• • Communications & Outreach Associate

Genesis Garden, Macomb, IL

• • Housing Counseling Program Development VISTA

Housing Options & Planning Enterprises, Inc. (H.O.P.E.), Oxon Hill, MD

• • Position filled

Housing Authority of the County of Jackson, IL, Murphysboro, IL

• • Position filled

National Housing Resource Center, Philadelphia, PA

• • Position Filled

Each year, Housing Action Illinois works at both the state and federal levels on a broad range of issues aligned with our core mission of creating an Illinois where everyone has a good, affordable place to call home. 

Housing was a higher profile issue than usual during the 2026 Illinois General Assembly session. Governor Pritzker’s BUILD proposal to support missing middle housing, an eight-bill affordable housing package from Senate Democrats, and growing public concern about affordability all kept housing in the spotlight during this year’s legislative debates. For most households, housing is their single largest monthly expense.

While actively supporting the BUILD proposal, Housing Action Illinois maintained our focus on the needs of people experiencing homelessness and others with the greatest affordability challenges. We’re glad to report that we, along with our partners and allies, achieved notable successes on these issues during the session, even though debate on BUILD and other proposals continues.

There are many ways you can get involved—you can help support this work by learning more, sharing this wrap up to help others learn more, signing up for our emails, making a donation, or becoming an organizational member.

Together, we can create an Illinois where everyone has a stable, affordable place to call home.

• Budget Breakdown
  • Rejection of Cuts to HOME Illinois
  • Progressive Revenue Increases Not Enough
  • Budget Wins from Our Partners and Allies
• Major Tax Reforms Will Help Homeowners Keep Equity and Their Homes
• Rental Affordability and Fee Transparency Act Passes
• More Good Bills That Passed
• Still in Progress

Budget Breakdown

General Assembly Rejects Proposed Cut to HOME Illinois

As the result of significant advocacy and education, the General Assembly rejected the proposed $10 million cut to the HOME Illinois Program to prevent and end homelessness and kept funding at the current level of $263.7 million.

Some tried to rationalize the cut by pointing to a lower demand for services. We pushed back, noting in the press and elsewhere that the State of Illinois’ own HOME Illinois plan has identified a shortage of 4,236 shelter beds, 10,428 rapid rehousing units, and 10,972 permanent supportive housing units in Illinois. More resources are needed to address these shortages.

We were disappointed that there was a $1.4 million reduction for the Supportive MI Housing line item that helps pay for services in supportive housing for people with severe mental illness.

Requests from our allies that were not funded included an increase for the Housing is Recovery Pilot Program to $10 million, as well as a funding request from the Home for Good Coalition to improve housing and support services for people returning from prison.

During the upcoming year and beyond, we will continue to advocate for the spending increases necessary to fully realize the goals of the HOME Illinois plan. Thank you to the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness, Illinois Shelter Alliance, and the Supportive Housing Providers Association for partnering on this work, as well as all the organizations and individuals participating in their local Continuum of Care Network who advocated with us. Thanks also to State Representative Lindsey LaPointe and State Senator Adriane Johnson for being our lead champions in their respective chambers.

Budget Supported by Some Progressive Revenue Increases But Not Enough

As a member of the Illinois Revenue Alliance, we are pleased with the creation of a digital advertising tax that should bring in more than $1 billion in revenue to the state each year, as well as removal of one Trump-era tax break from our state tax code. However, the General Assembly should have done more, including full decoupling from all recent federal tax reductions for the wealthy and passing a billionaire wealth tax. Read the Illinois Revenue Alliance statement on passage of the FY27 state budget » 

Budget Wins from Our Partners and Allies

The Illinois Affordable Housing Tax Credit was extended for 10 years, with the annual allocation increase raised from 5% to 10%. Led by the Illinois Housing Council (IHC), this change —starting with $1.9 million in FY27—is estimated by IHC to help fund 9,856 new affordable rental homes over 5 years, including 1,341 additional homes beyond what would have been produced under the current growth rate. Passed as part of the revenue omnibus bill, these changes were originally included in legislation sponsored by Senator Mike Porfirio (SB 3738) and Representative Dee Avelar (HB 4413).

The capital budget included $250 million for missing middle and affordable housing programs, originally proposed by Governor Pritzker as part of the BUILD proposal. We also supported this as part of advocacy on the BUILD legislative package. Funding is allocated across housing development ($100 million), related infrastructure improvements ($100 million), and down payment assistance for homebuyers ($50 million).

Schools serving students and families experiencing homelessness received new state funding, with a $2 million increase for local public school districts and $2.5 million for state-funded universities. The Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness, working with Representative Laura Faver Dias and others, successfully advocated for this funding.

Major Tax Sale Reforms to Help Homeowners Keep Their Equity and Their Homes

HB 4537: Chief Sponsors: Senator Celina Villanueva and Representative Curtis Tarver

This legislation is the most sweeping reform to Illinois’ property tax sale in decades, and passing it represents three years of sustained advocacy by Housing Action Illinois and our partners. 

HB 4537 will put Illinois into compliance with a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Tyler v. Hennepin, which found it unconstitutional for states to allow property owners to lose their home without any opportunity to recover remaining equity after the tax debt is paid. The bill creates additional fees paid by private tax buyers to support two different funds to compensate property owners—one for recent claims and another for claims going back as far as ten years. A competitive auction system of properties subject to tax foreclosure will be established and  used to determine compensation for lost equity.

However, additional reforms in the bill should make this an increasingly rare occurrence, including, but not limited to improved notice requirements that encourage people to contact a HUD approved housing counseling agency and increasing the amount of time that residential property owners have to pay back taxes that have been sold from 2.5 years to 3 years. 

Private Tax Buying to be Phased Out in Cook County and Beyond

HB 4537’s most significant step toward addressing the injustices of the tax sale system is ending  private tax buying in Cook County. This will take effect at the seventh tax sale after legislation becomes effective, which should be in 2031. At that time, Cook County will start acquiring all the tax liens that would otherwise be offered to sale to private tax buyers, making paying delinquent taxes more affordable through payment plans, interest fee waivers, and other permissible means made possible by previous state law changes. Other counties will have this option, as well.

Between now and 2031, this bill directs Cook County to establish a pilot program for Cook County to acquire the tax liens for up to 100 homeowners each year, without them ever being offered for sale to private tax buyers. The pilot program will focus on homeowners with the lowest home values as a means of supporting homeowners who are most likely to have the lowest incomes and the most challenges affording their property taxes.

Compensating Homeowners with Existing Claims Still Unresolved

While HB 4537 does create limited new revenue to help pay past claims for lost equity, an ongoing issue will be determining how to compensate all homeowners and others with past and existing claims. Cook County was recently found liable by the courts for not adequately compensating nearly 2,500 homeowners who lost the actual properties as well as the equity they’d built in those homes after their delinquent property taxes had been sold. Multiple other court cases on this issue continue to be litigated against counties, tax buyers and the State of Illinois. 

Thanks to our legislative champions, Senator Celina Villanueva and Representative Curtis Tarver, for taking the time to pass strong, comprehensive reforms. In addition to the offices of Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle and Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, our key partners included AARP, Center for Community Progress, Chicago Community Trust, National Consumer Law Center and Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago.

Read Chicago Tribune coverage on the passage on Tyler v. Hennepin reform in Illinois. Also see previous coverage on how the injustices of the tax sale system, particularly how tax sales have taken wealth and stability from Black homeowners and communities. 

Rental Affordability and Fee Transparency Act Passes

HB 3564: Chief Sponsors: Representative Nabeela Syed and Senator Mike Simmons

This legislation, which passed the General Assembly in April, requires that landlords place all non-optional fees on the first page of the rental agreement, and prohibits 11 different junk fees that are simply unnecessary. The legislation works to ensure that fees are fair and transparent. A “trailer bill,” or subsequent technical bill (HB 5234), changed the effective date of this new law to January 1, 2027. 

Our partners included Law Center for Better Housing, New Moms, Supportive Housing Providers Association, and Uptown People’s Law Center.

To learn more, see Senator Simmons’ press release on passage of the legislation, as well as our fact sheet. Thank you to our chief sponsors and other supporters in the General Assembly. 

More Good Bills That Passed

Additional positive housing-related bills that passed the General Assembly due to the work of others include:

Preventing and Ending Homelessness

• HB 4137: Sponsored by Representative Michelle Mussman and Senator Karina Villa, this bill amends the Education for Homeless Children Act to allow a school district to provide for an extended motel stay for a child who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Homeowner Support

• HB 4273: Sponsored by Representative Thaddeus Jones and Senator Michael Hastings, this legislation prohibits homeowners’ insurance companies from increasing premiums by more than 10% without first notifying the consumer 60 days prior. This gives consumers the necessary time to shop around and find a better rate. The bill prohibits premiums from being excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory. See Senator Hastings’ press release.
• HB 4456: Sponsored by Representative Laura Faver Dias and Senator Adriane Johnson, this legislation protects Illinois’ existing low-income discount rates for electric and gas utility service, expands eligibility for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and stops a 16 cent per bill increase in a rider on gas and electric bills from taking effect in 2027. Advocated for by the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies and Legal Action Chicago.
• SB 3925: Sponsored by Senator Mike Porfirio and Representative Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar, this legislation allows locally created Home Equity Assurance Commission to establish a program to provide a one-time per household direct relief payment to a member who owns a residence that is subject to flood damage.
• HB 5449: Sponsored by Representative Rita Mayfield and Senator Robert Martwick, this legislation makes changes to state law to require that condominium and other common interest community association boards provide more easily accessible association business and financial information to homeowners.
• HB 4896: Sponsored by Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz and Senator Robert Martwick, the bill will help a person who has inherited a property with other family members petition for sole ownership, if need be. For example, in cases where only one family member lives in the home, pays the bills and taxes and takes care of it. If one or more other family members has disappeared or just doesn’t engage, the person living in the home is often stuck—they can’t fix up the property, get a loan, or sell it without the permission of others. This legislation solves for this and related situations. Advocated for by Legal Action Chicago.

Protecting Against Discrimination

• SB 3777: Sponsored by Senator Adriane Johnson and Representative Justin Slaughter, this legislation expands “disparate impact” civil rights protections for Illinoisans in the areas of employment, public accommodations, and access to financial credit. These protections related to housing were previously passed into law in 2024 through an effort led by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. Advocated for the Illinois Department of Human Rights and Disparate Impact Coalition, of which Housing Action Illinois is a member.

Support for Local Governments

• HB4571: Sponsored by Representative Marti Deuter and Senator Laura Ellman, this legislation amends the Counties Code to allow DuPage and Will Counties to invest county financial resources in affordable and missing middle housing.

We encourage Governor Pritzker to sign all the state legislation summarized here into state law.

Still in Progress

Our legislation to restrict local Public Housing Authorities and private owners of federal subsidized housing from implementing a proposed federal rule allowing time limits and work requirements, HB 4377, passed both chambers. However, on the final day of the session, additional good, but unrelated, housing provisions were added to the bill, which has slowed its passage. 

Thanks to Representative Maurice West, Senator Ram Villivalamam and Senator Graciela Guzmán, as well as Impact for Equity, for their work with us on this during the session. All have committed to helping us pass this bill before the end of the 104th General Assembly.

We will also continue to work to pass legislation regulating enforcement of local so-called “crime-free housing and nuisance ordinances” and “camping ban” ordinances that criminalize people experiencing homelessness. We will also work with partners to increase support for Governor Pritzker’s BUILD proposal, particularly by supporting  thoughtfully designed provisions that will promote increasing the supply of housing overall, while also making sure local communities maintain tools to require affordability and protect existing community residents from displacement. 

Help us build on this momentum:

• Sign up for our policy alerts
• Get in touch to work on specific campaigns
• Donate to support our work

We’re looking for someone passionate about housing justice to build public understanding of our issues through educational materials, diversify our revenue, and leverage our 40th anniversary year.

About Housing Action Illinois

Housing Action Illinois is a statewide coalition that has been leading the movement to protect and expand the availability of quality, affordable housing and end homelessness in Illinois for nearly 40 years. Our 200+ member organizations include housing counseling agencies, homeless service providers, developers of affordable housing, and policymakers. We bring everyone together to work toward an Illinois where everyone has a stable, good home.

Our AmeriCorps VISTA will raise awareness and deepen understanding of affordable housing and homelessness by creating educational materials, updating our website, sharing the impact of our programs, and contributing to both print and digital communications. They will help us collect, document, and celebrate 40 years of impact. Additionally, they will collaborate with our team to identify and apply for funding opportunities, helping us diversify and strengthen our resources.

To achieve these goals, we’re looking for someone who is passionate about housing justice, interested in communications and development, and eager to foster collaboration among housing organizations across Illinois. A competitive candidate will have excellent writing skills, be highly organized and motivated to learn, take initiative, and thrive while managing a wide variety of projects.

Since this position is a part of the larger network of VISTAs serving within Housing Action’s network, you will receive training, support, guidance, and networking opportunities in addition to the traditional opportunities for AmeriCorps VISTA positions. Learn more about the program at Housing Action’s website. This position will start on September 8.

Responsibilities:

• Organize archives, collect oral histories, document accomplishments, and plan ways to celebrate 40 years of impact to leverage Housing Action’s anniversary year.
• Build awareness and understanding of homelessness and affordable housing and our coalition’s role in addressing these issues in Illinois. Projects include updating our website, creating content for newsletters, and developing programmatic videos and animated explainers.
• Expand and diversify our resources in collaboration with staff by identifying and applying to prospective funders and strengthening individual giving campaigns.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree strongly preferred.
• At least 6 months to one year of professional, volunteer, or internship experience in a non-profit or agency setting strongly preferred; previous communications and project management experience preferred.
• Education background in communications, journalism, marketing, political science, or English preferred.
• Excellent computer skills, including proficiency in web-based research and Microsoft Office. Open to learning website content management and other website training.
• Excellent writing skills, strong attention to detail, and good interpersonal skills.
• Familiarity with social media channels desired; familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop) a plus.
• Knowledge of or experience in fundraising and event planning a plus.
• Knowledge of or experience in affordable housing and homelessness a plus.

Compensation and Benefits:

This is a one-year position. Full-year AmeriCorps members serving in Illinois in 2026–2027 will receive a living allowance of $24,962 per year, distributed biweekly.

This position offers a $300 monthly stipend for housing, transportation, and/or groceries.

Benefits funded by AmeriCorps VISTA include:

• Forbearance/deferment of student loan payments during term of service
• Non-competitive eligibility status for federal jobs
• Healthcare allowance & special enrollment period
• Leave Days: 10 personal & 10 medical
• If Eligible: Relocation payment (50+ miles)
• If Eligible: Child Care Assistance
• After successful completion of the term, the choice of an Education Award ($7,395) or an End-of-Service Cash Stipend ($1,803)

Hybrid:

This position will be remote for 4 days per week and in the office 1 day per week.

To Apply:

Please apply to this position via the AmeriCorps portal; you can find the posting in the portal here.

Join us in taking action to support the development of more affordable housing in Illinois communities. The Senate Executive Committee will hear testimony on numerous bills that support housing access and affordability at 1:30 pm TOMORROW (Thursday, April 23).

This includes SB 4060, which will establish statewide zoning standards to allow for smaller, more affordable single family homes and other “Missing Middle Housing,” e.g., 2-4 flats, townhouses, and ADUs (accessory dwelling units).

Speak up for affordable housing by stating your support of SB 4060 today.

Filing a witness slip online takes less than 3 minutes »

How to File a Witness Slip:

If you are filing as an individual, write “Self” for “Firm/Business or Agency” and “Representation.”
Under the Position section, use the drop down menu for “Add Subject Matter” and select “SB 4060” and then use the “Add Position” drop down menu to select “Proponent.” Double check to make sure you selected the correct options!
Click the “Add Position” button, so that it shows “SB 4060 – Proponent” in the box to the right. If you made a mistake, click on the red “x” and start over.
For Testimony, choose “Record of Appearance Only.”
Agree to the “Terms of Agreement” and click on the “Create (Slip)” button.

More starter homes, townhomes, and three-flats—not McMansions.

Today, many municipalities ban smaller and even mid-sized homes, whether as detached single-family houses, townhomes, or two and three-flats. The result: fewer new homes overall, and the only new housing that’s allowed is the most expensive.

SB 4060, which is part of the BUILD legislative package, ensures that more reasonably priced kinds of homes aren’t banned entirely, while ensuring local control over design standards and health and safety reviews. Minimum standards adapt based on the size of a community’s lots, with single family homes allowed on smaller lots (under 2,500 square feet), four homes allowed on lots up to 5,000 square feet, six up to 7,500 square feet, and eight homes on the largest lots.

These rules encourage small-scale development that provides moderate-cost housing choices for young people, families, and seniors.

The BUILD plan offers common-sense reforms and investments to create more homes and bring down housing costs.

Housing Action Illinois and several of our partners are dedicated to having this legislation move forward; it represents a serious and necessary effort to create statewide alignment on our housing crisis, increase the supply of housing in our communities, and promote affordability. Collectively, the six bills that make up BUILD:

• Create statewide zoning standards to allow for smaller, more affordable single family homes and other “missing middle housing,” e.g., ADUs, 2-4 flats, townhouses, etc.
• Streamline local permitting and approval processes, so that homes can be built faster and at a lower cost.
• Modernize statewide rules on other issues, such as parking and building codes, to make it easier to create new homes.

If you have time, in addition to filing a witness slip in support of SB 4060, we encourage you to also submit a witness slip in support of the other bills in the BUILD package:

• SB 4061: Allow Single Stairway Buildings with Requirements to Ensure Safety
• SB 4062: Standardize Impact Fees Charged by Local Governments
• SB 4063: Allow Third-Party Review and Inspection to Reduce the Amount of Time it Takes to Evaluate Projects
• SB 4064: Reduce Minimum Parking Space Requirements
• SB 4071: Allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in Single Family Zones

Learn more about BUILD »

Deadline: All comments must be submitted by April 21, 2026.

Housing Action Illinois is urging organizations across the state to sign on to a letter opposing HUD’s proposed rule that would allow Public Housing Authorities and Project-Based Rental Assistance owners to impose work requirements and time limits on assisted households.

A recent analysis estimates that a two-year time limit could result in 3.3 million people losing rental assistance, including 1.7 million children.

Read the letter and sign on »

Key concerns outlined in the letter include:

• The rule is unnecessary and unlawful: Most non-disabled residents without young children in federally assisted housing are already working, and HUD does not have the legal authority to impose these requirements—only Congress does.
• Housing providers are not equipped to effectively implement work requirements: Successful programs require robust employment services, education and training opportunities, family supports, and clear exemptions. These are resources most providers do not have.
• The rule would increase housing instability and homelessness: Time limits would primarily affect working households whose wages are still too low to afford rent.
• The impact on Illinois would be significant: Increased housing instability would place additional strain on already overburdened emergency rental assistance programs, shelters, and other emergency services.

We’re asking organizations to sign on to our comment letter urging HUD to rescind this harmful rule and instead maintain current policy, which allows mixed-status families to live together in HUD funded housing.

Deadline to sign on: 5:00 pm CT on Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Add your organization’s name by completing this form and clicking submit.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for taking action. 

Not able to sign on for an organization?

Individuals can also submit comments via regulations.gov. HUD must read and account for comments in a published final rule. Find step-by-step instructions on how to submit comments here.

Stay Tuned

Sign up for our Policy Advocacy alerts »

Support our work by donating or becoming a member today »

Housing Action Illinois invites organizations across the state to sign on to a letter opposing HUD’s proposal to put mixed-status families living in HUD-funded housing at risk.

In February, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a proposed rule that targets mixed immigration status families (households with members who are both eligible and ineligible based on immigration status) who receive HUD-funded housing.

Add your organization today »

Currently, federal law and longstanding HUD policy allows for mixed-status families to live under the same roof and receive HUD subsidies for only those members of the family who are eligible based on immigration status. The proposed rule would eliminate this assistance, requiring families to either separate or face potential eviction and housing instability.

Additionally, through the proposed processes, many more people, including U.S. citizens, would have to verify their citizenship by providing specific documentation.

This rule will:

• Affect and potentially harm 198,000 households in Illinois that rely on HUD housing
• Cost Illinois and other states millions of dollars because of the increase of homelessness and administrative burden
• Create additional burdens for affordable housing providers and require the use of money they don’t have to comply
• Particularly affect families, persons with disabilities, older adults, survivors of gender-based violence, and people of color

The proposed rule mandates that all HUD-assisted housing providers require that every applicant, including U.S. Citizens, verify their status through the Department of Homeland Security’s notoriously unreliable SAVE systems, creating additional hurdles for applicants.

We’re asking organizations to sign on to our comment letter urging HUD to rescind this harmful rule and instead maintain current policy, which allows mixed-status families to live together in HUD funded housing.

The deadline to add your organization’s name to our letter is 5:00 pm CT on Monday, April 20, 2026.