 | November 2025 Newsletter: Conference | Policy Focus | Housing Counselor Dispatch | Housing Action Corps Updates | Members Corner | Double Good Fundraiser | Learning & Networking | What We're Sharing | Jobs | In Memoriam |
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| 2025 Housing Matters Conference This year, we were excited to welcome 317 participants from 164 different organizations to our annual conference. Attendees joined us in Bloomington, IL, for two days to dig into issue updates, hear from experts, and build relationships. We kicked off with opening keynote speaker Leah Rothstein, co-author of Just Action, and ended with a discussion of federal policy changes and state impacts with Ann Oliva, the CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, and Christine Haley, Chief Homelessness Officer for the Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness. In between, we facilitated 20 breakout workshops, including a community tour of the West Bloomington Revitalization Project, and held a reception with live music. Thank you to speakers, sponsors, and attendees who helped make the conference a success! View select presentation materials and browse photos » |
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| | | | FEDERAL ADVOCACY UPDATES Bipartisan Support to Prevent Disruption in Homelessness Funding Nearly 300 Illinois organizations are calling on HUD to avoid a harmful gap in homelessness funding. Just last week, HUD announced a rushed grant competition with major program changes. With current grants starting to expire in January, this puts our communities at risk of losing critical resources that keep thousands of Illinoisans safely housed. Our ask is clear: Renew existing CoC grants. Don’t push people back into homelessness. This pressing issue has been covered by a number of media outlets, including Illinois Answers Project and ABC NewsChannel 20/WICS. Read our joint press release with Thresholds » STATE ADVOCACY UPDATES Rental Junk Fees & Property Tax Reform During the late October veto session, Housing Action advocated for Illinois legislators to pass legislation to protect renters from unreasonable move in fees and certain rental junk fees, HB 3564. The measure passed out of the Senate on a 39-16 vote, but was not brought to a vote in the House due to a lack of time. We will resume advocacy for this bill during the regular legislative session. We were also glad to actively support property tax legislation, SB 642, that passed out of both houses. This bill, spearheaded by the Cook County Board President and Cook County Treasurer, will: - Make it easier to qualify for the Low Income Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption and for the Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Deferral Program
- Allow counties to implement payment plans and waive interest penalties
- Delay the due date for the first installment property tax bills for tax year 2025 by one month, to April 1, 2026.
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 | Housing Action's Policy Director Bob Palmer, along with allies from Heartland HOUSED and Courage Connection, spoke with ABC NewsChannel 20 about the disruption to homelessness funding |
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| Not Even a Place in Line Earlier this fall, Housing Action published a new report, Not Even a Place in Line: Shortage of Housing Choice Vouchers and Closed Waitlists in Illinois. The Housing Choice Voucher program is the largest federal rental assistance program, and in Illinois, nearly 100,000 households rely on vouchers—but most voucher waitlists are closed. In fact, 77% of housing authorities in our state have closed waitlists, and 95% of all vouchers are administered by those housing authorities. Download the report » |
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| | | Housing Counselor Dispatch |
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| MISMO Releases Housing Counseling Data Set After eight years of work from Housing Action's Director of Capacity Building David Young and other housing counseling advocates, MISMO has published their housing counseling data set. This data will allow smoother communications between housing counseling agencies and other entities in the mortgage industry. Learn more » FHLBank Chicago Announces Funding for Housing Counseling FHLBank Chicago will provide $3,150,000 to IHDA through its Community First® Housing Counseling Resource Program. The funds will be used to support housing counseling agencies providing services throughout Illinois. Housing Action Illinois educated decision makers on the need for this additional funding for housing counseling in Illinois communities and supported efforts that made this funding a reality. NeighborWorks Training Institute Returns to Chicago From February 23–27, 2026, the NeighborWorks Training Institute will offer over 75 courses across the field on community development as well as networking opportunities. Register by December 14th for a $150 discount on registration. |
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| | Housing Action Corps Updates |
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| Host with Housing Action Corps in 2026
We are now accepting Early Bird Interest from organizations motivated to host AmeriCorps VISTA members in our Housing Action Corps network in 2026-2027. Host site applications will open on Housing Action’s website from December 1 to January 31. Housing Action Corps members will serve with their host organizations from August 2026 to August 2027. Curious about our AmeriCorps network and the application process? Join one of our upcoming webinars: - How to Host Housing Action Corps Members (Illinois-based organizations) | December 4 | Register »
- How to Host Housing Counseling Corps Members (organizations in any state) | December 11 | Register »
- Writing Strong Host Site Applications | January 8 | Register »
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 | Celebrating 15 years of the Housing Action Corps at our conference this past October |
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| - Learn about Chicago Furniture Bank's work and how their VISTA ended up becoming a full-time team member in this member spotlight.
- Housing Forward hosted a ribbon cutting at the Anderson Emergency Shelter, which provides space for 40 guests.
- Congratulations to Adam Ballard, who has been named the new Executive Director of CAFHA.
- H.O.M.E. has welcomed Alizandra Medina, their first Director of Advocacy and Neighborhood Engagement.
- Joe Neri, a former Housing Action board member and retiring IFF CEO, was honored with the Opportunity Finance Network's 2025 Executive Leadership Award.
- Joining Forces for Affordable Housing and Connections for the Homeless helped pave the way for 84 units of affordable housing to be built on Davis Street—more affordable units than all other developments in Evanston combined since the city's Inclusionary Ordinance began in 2007.
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 | A client browses the Chicago Furniture Bank furniture warehouse |
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| | Double Good Fundraiser From December 1–5, we'll be hosting a fundraiser with Double Good. Choose from Double Good's 13 unique flavors of popcorn while supporting Housing Action this holiday season! Stay tuned for the link to our online storefront when December starts. |
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| | Learning & Networking Events from us, our members, funders, and organizations to which we belong. Submit your listing » - Source of Income Housing Discrimination Presentation, 11/24: Learn more
- Hosted by Woodstock: Small Business Financing Conference, 12/1: Register
- How to Host Housing Action Corps Members (Illinois-based organizations), 12/4: Register »
- Hosted by Woodstock: Data as Power: 50 Years of HMDA, 12/10: Register
- Bankruptcy: What Housing Counselors Need to Know, 12/10: Register
- How to Host Housing Counseling Corps Members (organizations in any state), 12/11: Register
- Mathematics for New Homeowners, 12/11: Register
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| | | | In Memoriam Our thoughts and condolences to the colleagues and families of those who worked in our field who have passed away, including Housing Action Board Member and Executive Director of Zion Development Bob Campbell, longtime SHPA employee Aaron Eldridge, and Executive Director of the Embarras River Basin Association Cathy Feltner. |
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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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