 | March 2026 Newsletter: Annual Benefit | Policy Focus | Staff Updates | Housing Counselor Dispatch | Housing Action Corps Updates | Members Corner | Learning & Networking | What We're Sharing | Jobs |
| | Get Your Benefit Tickets Today! Our annual benefit will be held on April 23, 2026, at Catalyst Ranch in Chicago's West Loop. Join us for pizza and dessert, and to bid on silent auction items. Get our early bird discount if you purchase before 4/6! Register here » |
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| | STATE ADVOCACY UPDATES Legislative Win to Prevent the Displacement of Homeowners Homeowners shouldn’t lose all the equity they've built up because of past due property taxes, but right now, that's what happens through Illinois' outdated property tax system. Fortunately, the legislation we've advocated for that delays Cook County's annual property tax sale was just signed into law. This gives lawmakers time to fix an outdated property tax sale system that puts families at risk. Learn more in this Capitol News Illinois article on the issue. Support for Building Up Illinois Developments (BUILD) Housing Action Illinois released a statement urging the General Assembly to advance the Building Up Illinois Developments (BUILD) legislative package announced in Gov. Pritzker's budget address. The proposal represents a comprehensive effort to create statewide standards to address the housing crisis, pairing reforms related to zoning, ADUs, parking requirements, and review timelines with targeted investments to expand the supply of missing middle housing. Protect Illinois Tenants in Federally Subsidized Housing We urge Illinois-based organizations concerned about housing and other basic human needs—including health care, food assistance, and more—to join us in sending a letter to members of the Illinois General Assembly urging swift passage of Senate Bill 3084, sponsored by Senator Ram Villavalam. SB 3084 is a response to a recent HUD-proposed rule that permits Public Housing Authorities and private owners to require up to a 40-hour workweek and to mandate that residents lose their housing assistance after as little as 2 years. Take action by signing the letter » Join Us in Springfield for Lobby Day on April 15 Speak with legislators and urge them to stop the criminalization of homelessness, advocate for increased funding for homelessness services and prevention, and protect tenants' civil rights. Join our lobby day » |
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|  | |  | Housing Action's Housing Policy Organizers Megan Yerger & Foluke Akannie with Rep. Mike Quigley during a March 2026 meeting |
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| FEDERAL ADVOCACY UPDATES The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Passes Senate On March 12, the U.S. Senate passed the “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act,” a unified, bipartisan housing supply package, by a vote of 89-10. Among many positive provisions, the bill: - Prohibits, with some exceptions, large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes.
- Increases the "public welfare investment" cap to allow banks to invest more in projects that benefit the public good, such as affordable housing.
- Expands affordable rental and home ownership opportunities for low-income people and families living in rural areas.
- Streamlines inspections for the Housing Choice Voucher program to make it faster for voucher recipients to secure housing.
- Allows for greater flexibility for Emergency Solutions Grant funding to better address the needs of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
See this summary of the bill from the National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders. We ask the House to take quick action on this bill and that it be signed into law. |
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| | Report Finds Deficit of Rental Units for Extremely Low-Income Renters in IL |
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| A new report by Housing Action Illinois and the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes, finds a national shortage of 7.2 million affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income renter households—and only 34 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 of these households in Illinois. Learn more » This shortage is "a chronic problem that everyone knows about, but there hasn’t been the political will to deal with it in a way that fundamentally changes the current problems," Housing Action's Bob Palmer explained to Abby Miller of the Chicago Sun-Times for their March 9 cover story, A Serious Shortage of Affordable Housing. |
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| | |  | We are pleased to announce that Kate Walz has joined us as a Senior Policy Advisor on a part-time basis. Kate is an expert in housing law and policy, having spent several years at the Shriver Center on Poverty Law leading their housing and advocacy efforts, and then at the National Housing Law Project, where she led a variety of housing related subject areas. Kate will support Housing Action Illinois’ response to federal housing threats, state housing policy, and work to improve coordination among organizations devoted to fair and affordable housing. Kate will also be supporting impact litigation and policy advocacy at the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. Kate can be reached at kate@housingactionil.org. |
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 | We are also pleased to announce that Marissa Diekhoff will be transitioning to a new role as Member Engagement & Operations Associate. She spent the last three years at Housing Action as a National Service Program Associate, where she supported host organizations and AmeriCorps members serving in our Housing Action Corps program. Marissa will continue to strengthen our coalition in this new role by expanding our membership outreach and engagement, enhancing our annual Housing Matters conference, and streamlining Housing Action’s internal operations. Marissa can be contacted at marissa@housingactionil.org. |
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| | Housing Counselor Dispatch |
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| Reconvening the Illinois Housing Counseling Coalition This February, Housing Action reconvened the Illinois Housing Counseling Coalition, bringing together 26 agencies to exchange ideas and strengthen collaboration. The coalition will meet monthly to deepen connections among housing counseling agencies statewide, support coordinated action when issues affecting the industry arise, and provide a structured forum for agencies to advance shared goals and collaborative projects. If you're interested in joining, contact James Miller » Intermediary Member Spotlight: Jefferson County at Home “We would have been sending [clients] out to Madison or Milwaukee, which is 45 minutes from us...My people...don’t have computers, so trying to look at a loan estimate or closing document on a cell phone just doesn’t quite cut it,“ says housing counselor RoxAnne Witte on the importance of Jefferson County's growing housing counseling program. Learn more about how their connection to county government allows them to address housing issues in the region comprehensively and provide essential services in a rural area. Read more » |
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| | Housing Action Corps Updates |
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| A Spring of Service Our Housing Action Corps members are halfway through their year of service and are making a big impact at their hosting organizations! We were excited to meet with members and supervisors during our annual site visits this winter to discuss their projects. As spring approaches, we're planning our Spring In-Service Training to help members prepare for their next professional step after service, while also launching recruitment for our 2026-2027 Housing Action Corps cohort. Housing Action is Hiring Housing Action is hiring a National Service Program Associate. This role will be responsible for supporting and coordinating all aspects of our national service programs, including our current AmeriCorps VISTA program. The application deadline is April 1. Learn more about the position here » |
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| - Our newest board member, Sarah Leys, currently serves as the Director of Economic and Community Development for the City of Rockford. Learn about her work here »
- La Casa Norte will welcome the first ten tenants to their new building, the North Hotel.
- The leading fair housing organizations in our state have formed Illinois Housing Equity Collective (ILHEC) to build a durable, state-level fair housing ecosystem, in partnership with government agencies, to mitigate the consequences of HUD’s withdrawal from civil rights oversight.
- Northwestern University's ANCHOR grant program has awarded over $2 million to community organizations since 2020, including Open Communities in 2020 and 2025.
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 | Director of Community and Economic Development for the City of Rockford and Housing Action Illinois board member Sarah Leys |
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| | Learning & Networking Events from us, our members, funders, and organizations to which we belong. Submit your listing » - Hosted by IHC: Networking Breakfast: A Federal Roadmap to Lower Housing Costs, 3/19: Register
- HUD-Aligned Foreclosure Prevention Fundamentals, 3/26: Register
- Hosted by the National Alliance to End Homelessness: Monthly Advocacy Workshops, 3/26, 4/23, & 5/28: Register
- Housing Counseling Career Path, 4/7–4/9 & 4/14–4/16 (Six Sessions): Register
- Hosted by LCBH: 2026 LCBH Town Hall: The Chicago RTLO at 40 Years, 4/22: Register
- Hosted by IDHS: 2026 Home Illinois Summit: Rising With Resilience, 5/12-5/13: Register
- Beyond Certification: Practical Strategies for Counseling Clients – Milwaukee, 6/22-6/24: Register
- Becoming a HECM-Certified Housing Counselor – Milwaukee, 6/22-6/24: Register
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| | | | The Illinois Department of Public Health has released the second Illinois Homelessness Mortality and Morbidity Report. The prior report demonstrated that the average age at the time of death was almost 20 years younger among people experiencing homelessness. The findings from the hospital data indicate that the health issues contributing to the death of people experiencing homelessness are pervasive years prior to death. If effective early interventions can be initiated, then this disparity can be reduced. (report) The Commission on Human Rights has created a template JHA Screening Notice for housing providers to give prospective tenants insight into their application screening and provide information on the housing providers' policies. (resource) HAC is now accepting applications for the 2026 OneRural Technical Assistance Program, which provides technical assistance and training to rural organizations. Applications submitted by 3/31 will receive priority consideration. (resource) IHDA launched their new first-time homebuyer program, IHDAccess Home, that offers up to $15,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance. (update) Read Woodstock's new report on the effectiveness of the Predatory Loan Prevention Act (PLPA). (report) Read the Portfolio Health Initiative: Year 1 Report from the IHC, in partnership with the Preservation Compact. (report) IHDA has released a survey on the public's recommendations for the 2027-2028 QAP. Responses are anonymous, and the survey will be open until 3/31. (survey) IHDA will lead a statewide housing planning initiative, the Illinois Housing Blueprint, in the coming year. Fill out their community survey for Illinois residents to help them better address housing needs across the state. (survey) Moore: Pritzker embraces 'abundance' agenda with housing, nuclear proposals, Capitol News Illinois, 3/6/26 (media) Proposed cuts to housing-first programs would be ‘going back like 30 years’, advocates warn, Chicago Tribune, 2/17/26 (media) Plans are underway to end Cook County’s property tax sales, WBEZ, 2/12/26 (media) Federal actions could make an affordable housing shortage worse, Crain’s Chicago Business, 2/9/26 (media) Under Trump, HUD hardens the policies behind a program meant to shelter the city’s homeless population, Crain’s Chicago Business, 2/9/26 (media) IL CRA Exams: In the first quarter of 2026, the following banks and credit unions will undergo exams: Municipal Trust and Savings Bank (Bourbonnais), Tompkins State Bank (Avon), 1st Equity Bank (Skokie), and SIU Credit Union (Carbondale). No mortgage companies are scheduled at this time. Submit a comment to Illinois regulators here. (resource) |
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| | | | We are stronger together. Join our movement 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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