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Recent Updates
Building Community Across Counties at Senior Services Plus
AmeriCorps VISTA Sandra Lee-Reams at Senior Services Plus’ annual open house
New Data Standards Open Doors for Housing Counselors & Clients
Most people have never heard of the Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization (MISMO) or thought much about data sets—but for the past eight years, David Young, Director of Capacity Building at Housing Action, has been working to show why both matter for...
Housing Advocates Urge HUD to Avoid Forcing Thousands of Illinoisans into Homelessness
In a letter to Secretary Scott Turner, advocates outline importance of maintaining funding for housing programsFor Immediate Release: November 14, 2025Contact: Kristin Ginger, Director of Communications & Development, Housing Action Illinois...
Member Spotlight: Chicago Furniture Bank
Chicago Furniture Bank (CFB) centers itself in a simple yet powerful belief: that furniture is more than just objects—it’s stability, and a crucial building block of a home. Since 2018, the organization has worked to provide gently used furniture to individuals and...
New Report on Illinois’ Housing Voucher Crisis: Not Even a Place in Line
A new report by Housing Action Illinois, Not Even a Place in Line: Shortage of Housing Choice Vouchers and Closed Waitlists in Illinois, details the strained capacity of the Housing Choice Voucher program in Illinois. The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program is the...
Member Spotlight: Community Partners for Affordable Housing
At the heart of all programming provided by Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH) is their commitment to providing safe, secure housing to individuals and families in Lake and Northern Cook Counties. Through a combination of new construction and...
Federal Policy Update: Senate HUD Budget, EO on Homelessness, & More
Better Than the Alternatives, Still Not Good Enough: What's in the Senate HUD Budget On July 24, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its FY2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) budget proposal—offering a much better alternative to...
Affordable Housing is Out of Reach for Low-Wage Illinois Workers
Rent continues to be much higher than what many can afford; families face elimination of rent assistance under proposed federal cutsFor Immediate Release: July 17, 2025Contact: Kristin Ginger, Director of Communications & Development, Housing Action Illinois,...
Policy Update: Deep Proposed Cuts Threaten Housing Programs
In the aftermath of the reconciliation bill, which was signed into law on July 4—and which includes deep, harmful cuts to health care, food assistance, and more to pay for tax cuts for the most affluent in our society—Congress has turned its attention to creating next...
Board Member Spotlight: Carl Wolf
From factories and restaurants to the frontlines in social service, Carl Wolf’s journey into nonprofit leadership didn’t follow a conventional path—but it was always guided by purpose. With a background in history and a fluency in Spanish gained through immersion in...
Press Releases
Illinois Must Keep Increasing Investments to End Homelessness
After two years of significant budget increases, the proposed FY26 budget reduces existing funding For immediate release: February 19, 2025Contact: Kristin Ginger, Manager of Communications & Development, Housing Action Illinois, kristin@housingactionil.org or...
Illinois Housing Wage Reaches $28, Rises Above $30 in Chicago Area
Overall state Housing Wage is $28.81, and many Illinois renters must earn more than $30 per hour to afford rent for a modest two-bedroom apartment For immediate release: June 27, 2024Contact: Kristin Ginger, Manager of Communications & Development, Housing Action...
New Data Reaffirms Long Standing Shortage of Affordable Homes For Extremely Low-Income Renters In Illinois And Chicago
For immediate release: March 14, 2024Contact: Bob Palmer, Policy Director, Housing Action Illinois at 312-282-3959 or bob@housingactionil.org CHICAGO, IL – A new report by Housing Action Illinois and the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), The Gap: A...
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