Latest Updates
Newsletter
Recent Updates
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing: The Role of Housing Counselors
Fair housing is the right to choose housing free from unlawful discrimination. This training is to help housing counselors better understand the how fair housing works in the United States and why it is so important. Learn about the history of the Fair Housing Act and...
Buying Homes and Building Relationships: Justine PETERSEN
In the 1980s, Justine M. Petersen was a social worker and pioneer, advancing community development practices in the St. Louis area by brokering and crafting the first progressive mortgage products for low- to moderate-income individuals and families. She was awarded...
Tell IL Legislators: Any Reconciliation Bill Must Include Housing Investments
After months of delays, the White House, congressional leaders, and key senators have restarted negotiations over a scaled-down reconciliation package. This bill could include robust housing investments targeted to people with the lowest incomes. We can't let this...
A Network of Opportunity: C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation
Housing Counselor Margo Probst—who is nearing her third year with C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation—takes pride in being able to help her clients with their housing needs. Individuals will come to Probst upset, feeling helpless and frustrated—they are often at...
2022 General Assembly Wrap-Up
In this condensed General Assembly session, which ended on April 8, Housing Action Illinois and our partners had three significant victories that further our mission. Key Wins Securing Statewide Source of Income Fair Housing Protections After multiple campaigns...
One More Message From You Needed to Pass Source of Income Fair Housing Protections
Great news: The bill to create statewide source of income (SOI) housing protections, HB 2775, has passed the Senate and just needs one more vote by the full House before April 8. This legislation will create statewide fair housing protections in Illinois by making it...
Hearing Tomorrow: Support Source of Income Protections
Good news: The bill to create statewide source of income (SOI) fair housing protections, HB 2775, has been assigned to the Senate Executive Committee for a hearing on Wednesday, March 30 at 2:00 p.m. This legislation will create statewide anti-discrimination housing...
Urge Legislators to Expand Source of Income Housing Protections for All Illinoisans
Illinois legislators have the chance to pass statewide source of income (SOI) housing protections before the General Assembly session ends on April 8. The proposed legislation, HB 2775, will strengthen existing local SOI discrimination laws and protect every resident...
Sign On to Endorse $855 Million for Illinois at Home
Illinois has the chance to use federal fiscal recovery funds to make significant investments in creating affordable housing and ending homelessness. Before the end of March, the Illinois General Assembly will make decisions about how to spend remaining federal fiscal...
Designing a Better Future: Territory
“Territory primarily focuses on creating mentorship and career pathways for young people who don’t have as many opportunities just because of the neighborhood they’re from,” says Xochitl Hubbell-Fox, AmeriCorps VISTA at Territory. Territory is a nonprofit organization...
Press Releases
Housing Action Illinois to Create New Data Standard for Housing Counseling Industry
Initiative will help quantify & qualify program impacts, position agencies to better serve consumers For Immediate Release: August 3, 2020 Contact: Kristin Ginger, Communications Manager, Housing Action Illinois, kristin@housingactionil.org or 312-854-3333 CHICAGO...
Housing Action Awarded $1 Million in Housing Counseling Funds
CHICAGO – HUD has awarded $1,000,206 to Housing Action Illinois to distribute funds to local nonprofits whose housing counseling programs help families rent or buy safe, affordable homes and prevent foreclosures. This year’s network of 33 housing counseling agencies, listed below, serve communities in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Missouri.
Report: Rent Unaffordable for Illinoisans Even Before Pandemic, Relief Needed to Prevent Evictions
Renters must earn more than $20 per hour to afford rent, federal relief needed to prevent wave of evictions and homelessness FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 14, 2020CONTACT: Kristin Ginger, Manager of Communications & Development, Housing Action Illinois,...
Media Placements
Despite BUILD’s failure, housing advocates celebrate legislative wins, Capitol News Illinois, 6/12/26
Opinion: Building homes isn’t enough. Buyers need help, too., Crain’s Chicago Business, 6/9/26
Homelessness Isn’t Throwaway Issue, Chicago Sun-Times, 5/30/26
What is the BUILD Act and what could it mean for homeowners in Illinois if it’s passed? NBC Chicago, 5/29/26
Debate grows over Pritzker’s proposed BUILD housing plan, Fox 32 Chicago, 5/29/26
Cook County tax buyer industry would be phased out in ‘equity theft’ reform bill, Chicago Tribune, 5/28/26
Unlocking MISMO Housing Counseling Data: Insights from Industry Leaders, Actualizing Success, 5/7/26
Community organizers support Illinois bill restricting penalties for homelessness, The Daily Northwestern, 5/6/26
When the Feds Step Back on Fair Housing, Can States Step Up?, Shelterforce, 5/5/26
Illinois bill would curb homelessness penalties, Axios Chicago, 4/16/26
Even the Midwest Wants to Encourage More Housing Density, Heatmap, 4/9/26
Peoria new housing has significantly dropped since 2004, Central Illinois Proud, 4/6/26
City program wants to bring more families to the South Side and West Side one vacant lot at a time, Chicago Sun-Times, 4/3/26
Steps Illinois lawmakers could take to reform the state’s tax sale laws, Injustice Watch, 3/26/26
City Clears North Side Encampment Amid Cold Snap As Residents Wait For Housing, Block Club Chicago, 3/17/26
The Rundown: A Chicagoan’s life after deportation, WBEZ, 3/9/26
Moore: Pritzker embraces ‘abundance’ agenda with housing, nuclear proposals, Capitol News Illinois, 3/6/26
Chicago area short nearly 225,000 affordable rental units for its poorest residents, report finds, Chicago Sun-Times, 3/6/26
Will Governor Pritzker’s budget actually make housing more affordable?, WBEZ, 2/26/26
Fair housing groups hold informational session on housing voucher rights, Evanston RoundTable, 2/24/26
Proposed cuts to housing-first programs would be ‘going back like 30 years’, advocates warn, Chicago Tribune, 2/17/26
Budzinski Leads Illinois House Democrats in Demanding HUD Strengthen Housing Protections, RiverBender, 2/14/26
It’s crunch time for Cook County tax sales — and so far, Springfield isn’t helping, Crain’s Chicago Business, 2/12/26
New Humboldt Park Affordable Apartment Building Welcomes Residents: ‘I Can Breathe Now’, Block Club Chicago, 2/12/26
Plans are underway to end Cook County’s property tax sales, WBEZ, 2/12/26
Federal actions could make an affordable housing shortage worse, Crain’s Chicago Business, 2/9/26
Under Trump, HUD hardens the policies behind a program meant to shelter the city’s homeless population, Crain’s Chicago Business, 2/9/26