State Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness Released

We were very glad to see that Home Illinois, Illinois’ first Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, was posted online earlier this month. The plan, required by an executive order that Governor JB Pritzker issued last fall, sets the foundational vision to ending homelessness in the state. The plan relies on both established and new, innovative strategies that bring together Illinois residents, community agencies, and state government in working to prevent entries into shelter. When literal homelessness does occur, the experience will be brief and one-time.

Housing Action Illinois strongly supports the goals of the plan and will continue to advocate for more resources to fulfill its vision, as well as keep providing feedback on implementation of of the plan as updated versions are developed over time.

Department of Homeland Security Publishes Final Public Charge Rule

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued a final rule on the “public charge” regulation, adding critical protections to immigrant families’ access to social safety net programs, including housing. The final rule clarifies that several health and social services are not considered in a public charge determination, a decades-old test to deny temporary admission into the U.S. or requests to change status to lawful permanent resident (i.e., green card holder). The final rule takes effect on December 23, 2022.

Housing Action Illinois is a member of the Protecting Immigrant Families Illinois coalition (PIF-IL) that joined others from around the country to advocate for this new policy. Read the PIF-IL statement on the new rule »

Housing Action Awarded Nearly $1.4 Million to Distribute to Housing Counseling Agencies & Host National Trainings

HUD has awarded a combined $1,387,908 to Housing Action Illinois to support housing counseling agencies through subgrants, program support, and trainings. Housing counselors offer education at no cost to clients buying or renting a home, facing foreclosure or eviction, seeking reverse mortgages, or working to budget, rebuild credit, and attain financial stability.

“The Journey Forward is so fortunate to be a Housing Action Illinois subsidiary partnering agency,” stated Annemarie Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of The Journey Forward. “As an emerging nonprofit and housing counseling agency, their guidance and support has enhanced our ability to be successful and meet the needs of our housing counseling clients. The financial support from HUD allows us to do this critical work that addresses our clients’ most critical and basic need—housing. We are very proud to be affiliated with Housing Action Illinois and privileged to do this important work.”

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Housing Counseling Career Path in Spanish

This fall, we're offering our Housing Counseling Career Path training in Spanish! Learn what you need to start your housing counseling career and prepare for the HUD Individual Certification Exam. Register today:

• Housing Counseling Career Path (Spanish) (Nov. 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17) 

Watch Your Inbox! National Census Survey of Community Developers

Housing Action Illinois is a proud partner in a national study of community-based development organizations—the Grounding Values Study. The results will provide high-quality data to increase support for your work. It includes the first national census survey of community developers since 2005. The National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations (NACEDA), in partnership with the Urban Institute, is conducting the study, so watch your inbox for a survey invitation from the Urban Institute; the deadline to complete it is October 21.

The Central Illinois Land Bank Authority is piloting a new housing strategy with the City of Decatur called the Abandonment to Rehab Program. The program aims to identify abandoned properties that can be saved, rehab the home to code standards, and sell to first time homebuyers. The goal of this program is to keep properties on the tax rolls that may likely become candidates for demolition in the next five years with no intervention, strengthen neighborhoods one block at a time with strategic rehabs, and provide homeownership opportunities to low- and moderate-income residents that want to purchase their first home.

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Welcome to Petra

Housing Action Illinois would like to extend a warm welcome to Petra D. Rodriguez Everson, our newest AmeriCorps VISTA Leader. Before joining our team, Petra moved from Puerto Rico to Chicago and completed a year of service with Garfield Park Community Council, where she served as data analyst for the Micro Market Recovery Program and organized various housing events for the community. Petra received a BA in Anthropology/Sociology from Kalamazoo College and plans to continue her studies after her year as an AmeriCorps VISTA Leader. As a former AmeriCorps VISTA through Housing Action’s program, Petra is looking forward to supporting Housing Action Illinois AmeriCorps members throughout their year of service.

9/11 Day of Service at Share Our Spare

Last week, AmeriCorps VISTA Members in the Housing Action Illinois network headed to member organization and AmeriCorps host site Share Our Spare for the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. Share Our Spare's mission is to ensure that every Chicago area child, ages 0-5, has the essential items they need to support their health and development and equip them for a strong start. Our volunteers organized and sorted 13,067 diapers, 21,520 wipes, 42 children's clothing kits, and 59 maternity clothing kits for distribution to Share Our Spare's partner organizations.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and to Share Our Spare for helping families shift from crisis management to caregiving with dignity.