Join Us for Housing Matters 2021

There's still time to register for our virtual 2021 Housing Matters Conference in partnership with Resilient Communities: The National Forum. We will kick off with two days of national, collaborative content on October 4 & 5, followed by two days of Illinois-specific workshops on local topics with our state's experts and decision makers on October 6 & 7.

HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge to Keynote Resilient Communities Forum

IDHS Secretary Grace B. Hou to Keynote 2021 Housing Matters Conference

Member registration is $75 & non-member registration is $125
Check whether your organization is a member »

Policy Focus

Tell Illinois' Members of Congress: Build Back Better By Funding Affordable Housing as Infrastructure

The Senate and House are entering what may be final negotiations on the Build Back Better Act, an infrastructure and economic recovery package. As members of Congress in Illinois identify their funding priorities, it's very important that they hear from constituents that affordable housing funding should be preserved, as the overall size of the $3.5 trillion proposal becomes subject to reductions.

Urge your members of Congress to support key affordable housing priorities for rental housing and homeownership, especially for people with the lowest incomes and communities of color.

Take action »

Illinois State Eviction Moratorium Ends on October 3

Based on Governor Pritzker’s most recent executive order, the moratorium on law enforcement carrying out eviction orders against certain covered persons is in place through October 3, after which it will be rescinded. In addition, the most recent Illinois Supreme Court order extends the temporary stay on eviction proceedings against covered persons until October 3.

Visit our website to get a summary of the current status of eviction moratorium, including information on what it means to be a covered person, and a list of currently open emergency rent assistance programs.

Housing Counselor Dispatch

Housing Action Awarded $1 Million in Housing Stability Counseling Funds

Housing Action has been awarded $1,051,776 in Housing Stability Counseling Program (HSCP) funding. Illinois will receive more than $4 million in total HSCP funding, which is part of the $100 million for housing counseling included in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

HSCP funds will support housing counseling for households facing housing instability, such as eviction, default, foreclosure, loss of income or homelessness. Learn more »

Welcoming Foluke Akanni

Housing Action is excited to welcome Foluke Akanni as a Housing Policy Organizer. She has more than a decade of diverse experience working in community outreach and relationship building in the nonprofit sector. She previously worked at Citizens Utility Board in the outreach department, educating communities on energy efficiency and utility policies in Illinois.

Foluke's past experience includes working at a refugee resettlement agency, where she helped refugees find employment, and in student affairs, helping students with their career and professional development. She started her nonprofit career as an AmeriCorps VISTA working for an organization whose mission included stopping gentrification in a North Minneapolis neighborhood.

Member Spotlight: Central Illinois Land Bank Authority

A common misconception about land banks is that they only work to demolish deteriorating properties. That’s not the case, says Mike Davis, Executive Director of the Central Illinois Land Bank Authority (CILBA).

“I’m a big believer in having a proactive approach, and an ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure,” Davis says. While much of CILBA’s work involves redeveloping distressed properties, it also aims to prevent the creation of distressed properties in the first place, and it works with local governments to increase their capacity to drive positive investment.

CILBA, which began as a volunteer-led organization serving Vermilion County, currently serves 20 local government member organizations, including Vermilion County, Champaign County and Decatur.

Mike Davis, Executive Director of the Central Illinois Land Bank Authority

Learning & Networking

Note: All event postings are from Housing Action, our members, funders, and organizations to which we belong. See our full trainings & events calendar. Have something coming up that we should list? Let us know!

Hosted by Illinois Housing Council
Property Tax Incentives Webinar, 9/23: Register

Hosted by Chicago Rehab Network
Community Empowerment Series: Community Building, 9/24, 9/29 & 9/30: Register

Hosted by Enterprise Community Partners
Landlords as Stewards of Housing Stability, 9/28: Register

2021 Housing Matters Conference & Resilient Communities: The National Forum, 10/4-10/8: Register

Hosted by Forefront
How Should Cook County Spend its $1 Billion American Rescue Plan Act Dollars?, 10/12: Register

What We're Sharing

The T-Mobile Hometown Grants Program is intended to help build stronger, more prosperous small towns and rural communities throughout the United States. Towns with populations of less than 50,000 can apply for community improvement grants of up to $50,000 to revitalize community spaces that help foster local connections. (funding opportunity)

Cook County Commission on Human Rights is conducting a survey regarding the efficacy of the Just Housing Amendment to the Cook County Human Rights Ordinance and its related individual assessments. Respond by 10/24. (survey)

The American Rescue Plan Act Build Back Better Regional Challenge aims to assist communities and regions impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The two-phase program seeks to help regions develop and implement transformational economic development strategies. The deadline for Phase 1 Concept Proposals is 10/19/21. (funding opportunity)

The Legacy Of Racist Housing Covenants And What's Being Done To Eradicate Them In Home Deeds, NPR Illinois, 9/14/21 (news)

Illinois launches rental assistance program for landlords, renters in eviction court, State Journal-Register, 9/14/21 (news)

CDC ban, state eviction moratorium: What's next for Illinois renters?, Chicago Tribune, 8/28/21 (news)

Turning back the clock? Pritzker extends Illinois' eviction moratorium after U.S. Supreme Court nixes federal version, Chicago Sun-Times, 8/27/21 (news)

Who's Hiring

Note: All job postings are from Housing Action Illinois, our members, funders, and organizations to which we belong. Have an opportunity we should list? Let us know.

Access Living, Community Development Organizer – Immigration & Latinx

All Chicago, Program Coordinator

Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, Program Counsel

Facing Forward, Director of Development

Forefront, Director of Policy and Government Affairs

Full Circle Communities, Project Analyst

Justine Peterson, Business Assistance Manager

Hesed House, Various Positions

Lawyers' Committee for Better Housing, Supportive Services Director & Development Associate

Metropolitan Planning Council, President & CEO

North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic, Development Associate & Staff Attorney, Housing Law Practice

Phoenix Community Development Services, Director of Housing & Community Development & Homeless Outreach/Housing Specialist