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Building the Next Generation of Change Agents
From recent college graduates to retirees, social workers to construction workers, the members of Housing Action Illinois' diverse AmeriCorps VISTA Network are united under one goal: to end poverty by expanding access to affordable housing. “While the...
Gathering Data to End Homelessness
Each year, every Continuum of Care must conduct a Point-in-Time (PIT) count of people experiencing homelessness in their service area. Volunteers spend one night in January walking around and recording the number of people without shelter. PIT count data is reported...
Congress Should Consider the Gap in Affordable Rental Homes for the Poorest Households as They Finalize This Year’s Federal Budget
The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes, a new report released today by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) and Housing Action Illinois, finds a severe shortage of affordable rental homes for the extremely low-income (ELI) renter households across the...
Report: Eviction Filings Are Barrier to Finding Future Housing—Even for Tenants Who Are Not Evicted
39% of eviction filings do not lead to a judgment against the tenant, but these tenants still get rejected when applying to rent CHICAGO—A new report by Housing Action Illinois and the Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing (LCBH) explores how an...
A Holiday of Giving at Heartland Alliance
Back to main blog page » Stephanie Tena is an AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer Coordinator at Heartland Alliance. The holiday season ignites a sense of reflection, graciousness, and a call to give back to others. One of the ways to channel this altruism is to...
New Faces at Housing Action Illinois
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...
Law Protecting Rent-to-Own Homebuyers in Illinois Goes Into Effect
New State Law Protects People from Predatory Contracts for Deed and Installment Sales Contracts Watch our webinar outlining the new protections. As of January 1, 2018, would-be homeowners are protected from predatory rent-to-own contracts by a new state law that...
7 Reasons We’re Proud of 2017
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...
Fall Into Our VISTA Network!
The seasons are changing almost as fast as our VISTA network! We're excited to welcome 26 new VISTAs as they start a year of service increasing the capacity of our member organizations to educate the public and community stakeholders on housing issues and...
Urge Congress to Use Tax Reform to End Housing Poverty
Tax reform presents a rare opportunity to address an important barrier to economic success: the lack of good, affordable homes throughout the U.S. The federal tax reform plan released by House Republicans last week is irresponsible and unacceptable. It will increase...
Press Releases
House FY15 Federal Budget Proposal Contains Deep Cuts for Affordable Housing Programs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 7, 2014 CONTACT: Bob Palmer, Policy Director, Housing Action Illinois, 312-282-3959 (cell) or bob@housingactionil.org On May 7, the House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee will likely approve...
Minimum Wage Earner in Illinois Must Work 84 Hours Per Week to Afford a Modest Home: Another Reason to Support a Minimum Wage Increase
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 24, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. CT CONTACT: Bob Palmer, Policy Director, Housing Action Illinois, 312-282-3959 (cell) or bob@housingactionil.org WASHINGTON, D.C.–Renters in Illinois need to earn $17.34 per hour...
Extreme Affordable Housing Shortage Continues For Illinois Renters
A new report shows that while the rental housing market may be booming, extremely low-income renters in Illinois are very unlikely to find an apartment they can afford. The report, Housing Spotlight: America’s Affordable Housing Shortage, and How to End It, jointly...
Media Placements
What federal housing reforms could mean for Evanston, Evanston Now, 6/29/26
Congress passes housing reform package. How would it impact the Chicago area?, WBEZ, 6/29/26
Despite BUILD’s failure, housing advocates celebrate legislative wins, Capitol News Illinois, 6/12/26
Illinois is one step closer to banning ‘junk fees’ and hidden charges on renters, Chicago Tribune, 6/11/26
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