Policy Advocacy
Many voices are stronger than one.
We mobilize our members and allies to advocate for policies that help end homelessness, create affordable rental housing, promote sustainable homeownership, and affirmatively further fair housing. We work to increase federal, state, and local investments in proven housing programs, as well as to develop new and innovative policy solutions. On our own and through coalition work, we have been able to secure a multitude of policy victories in Springfield and Washington, D.C., that benefit renters and homeowners.
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Action Center
With your help, we can expand access to affordable housing, prevent and end homelessness, and create an Illinois where everyone has good, stable homes.
2026 Policy Agenda
Our annual policy agenda serves as a roadmap for our state & federal advocacy to ensure every Illinoisan has a stable place to call home.
Previous Legislative Summaries
- 2025 Illinois General Assembly Wrap-Up
- 2024 Illinois General Assembly Wrap-Up
- 2023 Illinois General Assembly Wrap-Up
- 2022 Illinois General Assembly Wrap-Up
- January 2022 Lame Duck Session Wrap-Up
- 2021 Illinois General Assembly Wrap-Up
- January 2021 Lame Duck Session Wrap-Up
- 2020 Illinois General Assembly Wrap-Up
- 2019 Illinois General Assembly Wrap-Up
- 2018 Illinois General Assembly Wrap-Up
- 2017 Illinois General Assembly Wrap-Up
Louder Together: Multi-Sector Partnerships
To truly change our affordable housing ecosystem for the better, we need to bring together not just housing advocates but also people, organizations, and interest groups from beyond the housing field. This is why Housing Action Illinois has joined the national Opportunity Starts at Home campaign, a project of our allies at the National Low Income Housing Coalition, and why we are working with advocates in pediatric health care, refugee resettlement, and the disability rights sector to raise up affordable housing as an issue that matters to all of us.
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Join our action network to stay informed and urge your elected officials to support renters and homeowners.
Learn More
Dig into our publications, which share research and analysis on issues related to affordable housing.
Latest Policy & Organizing News
Ask Governor Rauner Not to Veto Budget Bill and Work on Revenue Solutions
On April 13, the General Assembly sent a fiscal year 2016 budget bill, Senate Bill 2046, to Governor Rauner. Governor Rauner is expected to veto the bill, but we feel we have a responsibility to ask him not to in order to provide desperately needed funding for human...
Due to State Budget Impasse More than $107 Million in Dedicated Funds for Affordable Housing Are Going Unused
Without a State Budget the Affordable Housing Needs of More Than 172,000 People Will Be Needlessly Unmet For Immediate Release: December 21, 2015 For more information contact: Bob Palmer, Policy Director, Housing Action Illinois at 312-282-3959 (cell) or...
Urge Your Federal Legislators to Prioritize Funding for Housing Programs
Advocate for Housing Programs Under the New Budget Deal and Stop the Raid on the National Housing Trust Fund Thanks in large part to the hard work of advocates across the country, Congress approved a two year budget deal that will provide relief from sequestration....