March 2023 Newsletter: Annual Benefit |Policy Focus | Housing Counselor Dispatch | AmeriCorps Updates | Save the Date | Learning & Networking | What We're Sharing | Jobs

 

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Toast to Housing Justice on April 13

This Fair Housing Month, we hope you'll join us to raise your glass at our annual Toast to Housing Justice. We're planning a fun, relaxed evening with pizza, beer provided by Revolution Brewing, music, friendly faces—and a chance to win great prizes at our raffle and 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.

Catalyst Ranch | Chicago, IL
Thursday, April 13, 2023
6:00–9:00 PM

 
 

Sign On Today: Center Race in the IL CRA

Rules are being made that will determine how strong of a tool the IL CRA is for building a fair, inclusive system of lending and investment. Housing Action Illinois and our allies have prepared a letter to urge decisionmakers to ensure that the implementation of the IL CRA meets the needs of low- and moderate-income Illinoisans, especially people of color.

The deadline to add your organization to our IL CRA Coalition comment letter is 5:00 pm CT TODAY (March 15).

Sign on now »

 
 

Policy Focus

HOME Illinois is a Historic Investment to End Homelessness

Governor JB Pritzker’s fiscal year 2024 budget proposal invests $350 million in state and federal funding to prevent and end homelessness. While some resources will come from existing funds, a new $200 million line item will rely on state General Revenue Funds, and the plan provides historically high levels of new investments using state funds to serve everyone in Illinois without a home.

Housing Action has helped organize the Illinois Shelter Alliance to advocate for  for emergency shelter funding, and the alliance particularly appreciates the plan's “$155 million to support unhoused populations seeking shelter and services, inclusive of $55 million to the Emergency and Transitional Housing Program.”

Read our full response to the HOME Illinois proposal »

 

Other state investments we advocated for and are celebrating:

  • $75 million in ARPA funds allocated to affordable housing programs
  • $40 million to support the development of new permanent supportive housing and emergency shelters
  • $20 million for IHDA’s Opening Doors homebuyer program
  • $7.24 million to support employee recruitment and retention for state-funded supportive housing and homeless service providers
  • $5 million for the Here to Stay Community Land Trust
  • $3 million for state designated cultural districts

Thank you to everyone who has advocated alongside us for these critical investments! Learn more about these wins »

Take Action Now

We also hope you'll urge state legislators to expand access to eviction record sealing and support a Cook County law to help families with delinquent property taxes stay in their homes by establishing payment plans »

See our full 2023 policy agenda »

 

Housing Counselor Dispatch

Making Dreams Possible: Housing Counseling in Spanish & English

It was her own experience as a first-time homebuyer that inspired Cory Hernandez to work in financial empowerment and help people access services and information to buy their own first homes. Now, she works as the Financial Literacy & Home Ownership Counselor with Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission. While searching for an interactive way to prepare for the HUD exam, which certifies housing counselors to provide services through HUD programs, she found Housing Action's Housing Counseling Career Path training. Cory took the Spanish course to ensure she had tools to serve her Spanish-speaking clients as well as her English-speaking ones.

Learn more about Cory's experience and the Housing Counseling Career Path in Spanish: Read our spotlight in English or Spanish »

Register for our next Housing Counseling Career Path trainings in English (April) or in Spanish (June).

 

 
 

AmeriCorps Updates

Deadline Extended: Host an AmeriCorps Member

Submit an application by March 24 to host a summer or full-year AmeriCorps member. Housing Action’s network places AmeriCorps VISTA members with organizations to tackle projects that strengthen communities and fight poverty. and see what a difference an AmeriCorps member can make in your community.

Interested in serving as an AmeriCorps member in Housing Action’s network? Early bird applications are now available! Open positions will be posted on our website soon.

 
 

A Pillar of Support: 360 Youth Services

Counseling. Prevention. Housing. 360 Youth Services has provided services in these areas to youth and families in Chicago’s Western suburbs for 50. They  joined Housing Action as a new member in 2022 to support our advocacy efforts, particularly the push for funding to prevent and end homelessness. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, 360 Youth Services began an emergency shelter program, providing non-congregate housing through hotel rooms—a change that reflects broad shifts in homeless service provision throughout Illinois.

“Building a whole new program, adding staff and forging additional relationships with the community… we had to figure out how to provide shelter when there was no shelter,” recounts Valerie Tawrel, 360 Youth Services’ Director of Housing.

Read more »

The Housing team at 360 Youth Services

 
 

Learning & Networking 

Events from us, our members, funders, and organizations to which we belong. Submit your listing »

Housing Fair Housing Rights & Obligations: Tools for Housing Counselors, 3/21, 3/28 & 4/4: Register

Predatory Lending, 3/23: Register

Hosted by Woodstock Institute
Fact Book Findings Lunch and Learn, 3/28: Register

Hosted by SHPA
SHPA's 2023 Advocacy Day, 3/29: Register

Designing a Disaster Preparedness Program, 4/11–13: Register

Hosted by IACAA
IACAA Annual Conference: Building Community Differencemakers, 4/30–5/2: Register

See all upcoming Housing Action events »

 

What We're Sharing

Saving Black homes lost to tax inequity: A decades-old practice of selling tax debt is still causing families to lose their homes, The Emancipator (The Boston Globe), 2/22/23 (news)

Pritzker proposes $49.6 billion budget prioritizing education, human services, WAND-TV, 2/15/23 (news)

IHDA's Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund (ILHAF) supports qualified homeowners who need help with past-due mortgage payments and related expenses due to financial hardships associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more and help homeowners apply. (resource)

Illinois Department of Revenue Reminds Eligible Taxpayers to Take Advantage of Senior Citizens Tax Deferral Program (resource)

The Charitable Trust grant program, managed by Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerich’s Office, seeks to help small nonprofits that provide economic development assistance. Deadline 3/31/23. (funding opportunity)

The Community Foundation of Fox River Valley’s discretionary grant supports social service nonprofits in the Greater Aurora Area, the TriCities, and Kendall County with funding for capital purposes. Deadline 3/31/23. (funding opportunity)

The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Program (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program provides funding for projects that address local environmental and public health issues. Deadline 4/10/23. (funding opportunity)

Health Projects Funded in CO, IA, IL, and OK by the Telligen Community Initiative support innovative and forward-looking health-related projects aimed at improving health, social well-being, and educational attainment. Deadline for social determinants of health projects 6/16/23. (funding opportunity)

 

Who's Hiring

Jobs from Housing Action, our members, funders, and organizations to which we belong. Submit your opening »

360 Youth Services, Transitional Housing Program Case Manager

Garfield Park Community Council, Development Manager

Habitat for Humanity Chicago, Donor Database Specialist

HOPE Fair Housing, Director of Enforcement

Northside Community Resources, Fair Housing Legal Assistant & MRP Coordinator

Open Communities, Development Associate

South Suburban Housing Center, Housing Counseling Support Specialist

 

Housing Action Illinois is collaborating with the National Housing Resource Center (NHRC) to expand the field of housing counseling, and NHRC has launched a jobs board to match HUD-certified housing counselors and agencies with open positions. Find or post a housing counseling position at HousingCounselingCareer.org »

 

We are stronger together. Join us in the fight to create an Illinois where everyone has a good, stable place to call home.

 

Housing Action Illinois
67 E. Madison Street, Suite 1603 | Chicago, Illinois 60603
312-939-6074 | communications@housingactionil.org

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