Public Education & Organizing
Our members make us powerful.
We build awareness and activate change by sharing information and real-life stories with policymakers, nonprofit service providers, and the media. We keep our members and allies informed about the latest developments in housing policy, organize issue-specific working groups, meet with legislators, take the pulse of communities during our outreach caravan, and host an annual Housing Matters Conference where advocates and practitioners share their knowledge and expertise.
Our Priority Issues
Housing Action Illinois works to educate and organize around a broad range of issues aligned with our core mission of creating an Illinois where everyone has a good, affordable place to call home. Our primary issues include:
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.
Annual Conference
During our annual conference, we build the expertise, experience, and capacity to make our communities better.
Caravan
We visit with members, host regional gatherings, and take the pulse of housing issues in rural, suburban, and urban Illinois.
Publications
Housing Action Illinois publishes research and analysis on issues related to affordable housing, as well as educational materials.
Latest News
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...