 | January 2024 Newsletter: 2023 Year in Review | Policy Focus | Housing Counselor Dispatch | AmeriCorps Updates | New Faces at Housing Action | Save the Date | Learning & Networking | What We're Sharing | Jobs |
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| | Housing Action's Year in Review |
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| In 2023, we expanded our network both within and outside of Illinois, achieving key milestones in legislative improvements, capacity building, and a successful Housing Matters conference. Our Year in Review talks about some of the ways we helped strengthen housing professionals' work, raised awareness on affordable housing issues, and shaped narratives for positive change. Read the Year in Review here » |
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| | | HOME Illinois Plan FY 25 State Budget Advocacy Housing Action Illinois, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Illinois Shelter Alliance, and the Supportive Housing Providers Association, with over 300 additional organizational signers, sent a letter to Governor Pritzker and members of his administration asking for increased funding of $85 million to keep making progress on the HOME Illinois plan to prevent and end homelessness. Our advocacy on our budget request is ongoing. Governor Pritzker will be releasing his fiscal year 25 budget proposal on February 21. |
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| Enough for All: Advocating for Longtime Illinoisans & Recent Arrivals Experiencing Homelessness We must stay united to ensure everyone in Illinois has a stable, safe, decent place to live. Our latest messaging guide explores some of the challenges, considerations, and solutions for longtime Illinoisans and recent arrivals experiencing homelessness. Read the guide for examples of messaging and framework guidance so we can make a greater impact together. Read it here » |
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| Congress’s Bipartisan LITHC Tax Proposal (Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act) Congressional leaders recently announced a bipartisan tax proposal that includes expanding the Child Tax Credit and restoring a temporary funding increase for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) that expired in 2021, as well as supporting the increased use of private activity bonds to finance affordable housing. It’s estimated these provisions would finance over 200,000 additional affordable homes nationwide over the next ten years. Much work remains to be done to ensure that this important proposal actually becomes law. Disappointingly, the proposal leaves out provisions to significantly expand the LIHTC and other reforms to ensure homes created with these resources are affordable to America’s lowest-income households, including people experiencing homelessness. Read the National Low Income Housing Coalition statement on the tax proposal » |
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| Join the January 25th Day of Action to Demand Increased for HUD in the FY 24 Spending Bill
Congress recently approved another short-term continuing resolution (CR) to avoid a government shutdown. Housing Action Illinois is joining NLIHC and the Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding for a National Day of Action on Thursday, January 25, to urge people to contact their members of Congress and demand increased funding for affordable housing, homelessness, and community development programs in this year’s federal budget, which is long overdue to be finalized. Watch out for email alerts and social media posts from us on this tomorrow! |
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| | Housing Counselor Dispatch |
| My Path to Home We want to help housing counselors and potential counseling clients find each other more easily. That’s why we are launching My Path To Home, a platform currently in beta testing, which matches individuals who enter their information with local housing counseling agencies that offer the kind of assistance they need. This is different from other tools for finding a housing counselor because the potential client’s information goes to a participating agency that can then proactively reach out. Want to learn more and join as a participating housing counseling agency? Contact us at info@mypathtohome.org.
Housing Counselors Spotlights |
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| A New Start as a Housing Counselor Verdene Sims (pictured left) passed the HUD Housing Counselor Certification Exam after attending one of Housing Action's Housing Counseling Career Path sessions. She shares advice to those looking to take the HUD certification exam. Read it here » |
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| Educating Homeowners & Renters in Spanish Monica Marquez (pictured right) a housing counselor at Erie Neighborhood House, where she is dedicated to providing services to Spanish-speaking clients. She build relationships with her clients and values each success story with each person. Read it here » |
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| | | Apply by Friday: Host an AmeriCorps Member in 2024 There is still time for organizations to apply to host full-time, year-long AmeriCorps members! Our network works hand-in-hand with organizations and AmeriCorps members to strengthen and stabilize communities–from the first day of service to the last. As a recent AmeriCorps alumni said, Housing Action’s support and dedication set “a high standard for how AmeriCorps programs should run.” Read Marshall’s Story (pictured right) » Host site applications close this Friday, January 26! Contact americorps@housingactionil.org for support with your application. |
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| | | New Faces at Housing Action |
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| Introducing Jennifer Taff as the newest member of our board! Jennifer Taff is the Executive Director of DuPage and Chicago South Suburbs Habitat for Humanity. Jennifer also currently sits on the board of directors for Chicagoland Habitat for Humanity, The Journey Forward, and HOME Together LLC. We are excited to welcome Jennifer to our board! |
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| | Annual Benefit Our eighth annual Toast to Housing Justice will be held on April 18 at Catalyst Ranch in Chicago. Join us for a fun evening of pizza, beer, music, and friendly faces—and a chance to win great prizes at our silent auction. Best of all, by attending, you'll support Housing Action's work toward an Illinois where everyone has a good, affordable place to call home. |
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| Housing Matters Conference Mark your calendars for our 2024 Housing Matters conference, which will be held October 17-18 in Bloomington, IL. Thank you to the nearly 350 participants who joined our last conference! View presentation slides and other materials from our previous conference here » |
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| | What We're Sharing Rep. Peters introduces Rent Assistance Bill to Address High Housing Costs, Congressman Scott Peters, 12/11/2023 (news) Congress votes to avert shutdown, The Hill, 01/18/2024 (news) Champaign Co. groups working together, bringing warmth to the homeless, WCIA, 1/16/2024 (news) Crossroads Fund invites applications for Seed Fund, which supports community organizations working on issues of racial, social, and economic justice in the Chicago area. Apply by 2/12/24. (funding opportunity) Citi Foundation's Global Innovation Challenge on Homelessness RFP. Apply by 2/13/24. (funding opportunity) Bank of America Foundation - Economic Mobility for individuals and families. Apply by 02/16/24 (funding opportunity) Legal Services for Veterans Programs has issued a notice of funding opportunity for Veterans at risk or are experiencing homelessness. Apply by 02/23/24 (funding opportunity) |
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| | | | We are stronger together. Join us in the fight to create an Illinois where everyone has a good, stable place to call home. |
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| | Housing Action Illinois
67 E. Madison Street, Suite 1603 | Chicago, Illinois 60603
312-939-6074 | communications@housingactionil.org |
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Housing Counseling Career Path, 1/30–2/1: 
