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Recent Updates
AmeriCorps Spotlight: Tracking Inequalities for Housing Advocacy
After earning her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from University of Illinois, Krista Weller wanted to continue the work she had started as an intern for Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living (INCIL). INCIL is a statewide non-profit that uses a...
Spotlight: Virtual Housing Counseling and Accessibility during COVID-19
When Wanda met Michael, he was staying at the Pacific Garden Mission shelter. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic meant he was doing an apartment search virtually, which was a challenge compounded by his disability. He wasn’t sure if he could trust that photos would line up...
Tell Your Legislators to Act During Veto Session
During the Illinois veto session, our legislators will have the chance to pass protections for renters on the brink of losing their homes. The pandemic has only exacerbated our longstanding eviction crisis, as COVID-19 has caused unprecedented economic instability for...
Despite Fair Tax Outcome, Our Work for Economic Equity Continues
Housing Action Illinois is proud that more than two million Illinoisans voted Yes on the Fair Tax this election. Unfortunately, this was not enough to pass the reform, which would have made our tax system fairer and helped address our state’s structural deficit. The...
Urge Your Commissioner to Protect All Renters in Cook County
We need your help to pass protections for 245,000+ renter households in Cook County living in communities without a comprehensive landlord-tenant ordinance. For thirty years, renters living in Chicago, Evanston, and Mount Prospect have benefited from municipal...
Housing Action Illinois Supports a Fair Tax
Lift the burden from the middle class.Make the millionaires pay their share. Low-income households now pay almost double what the wealthiest pay in taxes as a share of their income! That’s wrong—and it doesn’t raise enough revenue, pushing up property taxes and...
PADS Lake County Extends Shelter Season to Meet Demand
Learn more about how Illinois homeless service providers are adapting and serving during COVID-19 »Thanks to funding from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Housing Action Illinois subgranted $10,000 to PADS Lake County. These funds supported the agency’s work...
South Suburban PADS Provides Safe Place to Shelter During COVID-19
Learn more about how Illinois homeless service providers are adapting and serving during COVID-19 »Thanks to funding from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Housing Action Illinois subgranted $10,000 to South Suburban PADS. These funds supported the agency’s...
BEDS Plus Care Opens Second Shelter Facility to Meet Pandemic Needs
Learn more about how Illinois homeless service providers are adapting and serving during COVID-19 »Thanks to funding from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Housing Action Illinois subgranted $10,000 to BEDS Plus Care. These funds supported the agency’s work...
Housing Forward Looks to Replace Temporary Solutions with Permanent Housing
Learn more about how Illinois homeless service providers are adapting and serving during COVID-19 »Thanks to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Housing Action Illinois subgranted $10,000 to Housing Forward. These funds support the agency’s work providing...
Press Releases
Just Housing Amendment passes, protecting over 1 million people in Cook County from housing discrimination
Amendment will ban housing discrimination against people with records and come into effect this November For Immediate Release: April 26, 2019 For more information contact: Kristin Ginger, Communications Manager, Housing Action Illinois, kristin@housingactionil.org or...
Advocates Call for Fair Housing Protections for People With Arrest & Conviction Records
Just Housing Initiative amendment will ban housing discrimination based on records, supporting over 1 million Cook County adults while reducing recidivism and strengthening families For Immediate Release: April 16, 2019 For more information contact: Kristin Ginger,...
Report: Housing Demand Has Outpaced Supply, Especially for Low-Income Illinois Families
A new report shows that Illinois has only 35 available, affordable rental homes for every 100 extremely low-income households.
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