Join us in person this October 20 & 21 in Bloomington, IL for our annual Housing Matters Conference! This year, in addition to our general plenary sessions and member meeting, we’re bringing 12 breakout workshops related to public policy advocacy, ending homelessness, housing counseling, and affordable housing development. Topics include:

• Breaking Down Appraisal Bias
• Market Trends & Rising Costs: Barriers to First-Time Homeownership
• Promising Initiatives to Prevent Eviction
• Implementing the State Plan to End Homelessness
• Building Community as a Housing Development Strategy

...and more. View the program and schedule »

Inflation Reduction Act Makes Important Investments But Fails to Include Housing & Homelessness

This week, President Biden signed a very scaled back version of the reconciliation bill, now known as the Inflation Reduction Act. The bill includes important investments in affordable housing energy efficiency upgrades, climate change, and lower medical bills, but fails to include investments towards addressing the growing housing and homelessness crisis.

Thank you to the advocates and partners we have worked with over the last 17 months to call on Congress to provide funding for needed long-term solutions to the housing and homelessness crisis in each iteration of the reconciliation bill. Our collective advocacy helped ensure that Build Back Better passed through the House with $150 billion in funding for housing—and made a critical difference in pushing legislators to take much stronger, more ambitious stances when it comes to affordable housing.

"Today, as the immediate opportunity to advance toward our goals recedes, we cannot stop or slow our efforts," writes National Low Income Housing Coalition's Diane Yentel. Read more »

IL CRA Coalition Submits Comment Letter on Proposed CRA Rule

The IL CRA Coalition, co-facilitated by Housing Action Illinois and Woodstock Institute, have submitted a comment letter to federal regulators in response to proposed rule changes for the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). The CRA directs billions of dollars in bank loans, investments, and financial services toward low- and moderate-income communities. The last rule updates occurred almost three decades ago, despite significant changes in banking and lending since then. The IL CRA Coalition is encouraging regulators to make low-income communities and communities of color the focal point of the CRA. Read the coalition letter »

New Report: Affordable Housing Is Out of Reach In Illinois for Low-Wage Workers

How much do you need to earn per hour to afford a modest 2-bedroom home in IL? $22.80.

"Even working multiple jobs, many low-income workers are still not able to afford housing,” stated Leone Jose Bicchieri of Working Family Solidarity.

Learn more about the cost of rent in IL and across the country in the latest Out of Reach report, co-released in Illinois at the end of July by Housing Action and National Low Income Housing Coalition. See our press release »

Join Us on the Housing Counseling Career Path

This fall, we're offering our Housing Counseling Career Path training in both English and Spanish! Learn what you need to start your housing counseling career and prepare for the HUD Individual Certification Exam. Register today: 

• Housing Counseling Career Path (English) (Sept. 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22)
• Housing Counseling Career Path (Spanish) (Nov. 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17) 

 We hope you'll help us expand the housing counseling field by spreading the word and supporting our work to build a pipeline of qualified housing counselors ready to serve our communities.

Already a certified housing counselor and want to deepen your skills and knowledge? View our full trainings calendar »

Join the MISMO Housing Counseling Development Workgroup

MISMO, the real estate finance industry data standards organization, has issued a call for participants for a Housing Counseling Development Workgroup focused on creating a unified dataset for housing counseling. Standardizing data will allow the housing counseling industry to better measure its impacts and outcomes while also creating more flexibility in the housing counseling process, including through the exchange of consistent data with originators and servicers.

This is a big step forward in bringing housing counseling in line digitally with the major lenders, investors, and industry participants. Working with MISMO, housing counseling electronic data will mesh with the rest of the industry, helping make the housing counseling process more efficient and effective for borrowers and lenders alike. Housing Action’s David Young has been leading this data standardization effort for the past five years as the Chair of the National Housing Resource Coalition's Technology Committee. Now, we have the opportunity to integrate this work with the industry through MISMO. 

If you would like to participate in this workgroup, which will meet approximately once per month, please email David at david@housingactionil.org and cc info@MISMO.org by September 1.

"The [Rental Housing Support Program] is a program that you want to be a part of." 

Northern Illinois Regional Affordable Community Housing, formerly known as Winnebago County Housing Authority, is serving Winnebago, Stephenson, Ogle, DeKalb, and Jo Daviess Counties. Through administering housing vouchers, property rehabilitation initiatives, and other programming, NI ReACH is working to create an Illinois program where people not only have access to housing, but these opportunities that eventually lead to self-sufficiency.

Read more in this month's Member Spotlight »

Tenant who was assisted by NI ReACH

Goodbye & Thank You to Outgoing AmeriCorps Members & Summer Associates!

Housing Action Illinois would like to extend a warm thank you to all those who served in our AmeriCorps cohort, whether for a full year or a summer. Your hard work helps our member organizations expand their programs and better support our Illinois communities. Congratulations on completing your service, and we wish you the best in your future endeavors!