AT NO COST TO YOU, GET FUNDING FOR Housing Action Illinois WHEN YOU:
Buy a Home / Sell a Home / Lease Commercial Property

Learn how it works

Buying, Selling, & Leasing Can Help with the Illinois Housing Crisis

Housing Action Illinois is a coalition of more than 160 member organizations mobilizing to fight the housing crisis across Illinois. As a member of  Investing in Communities®, Housing Action Illinois can receive funding from the real estate transactions of its supporters at no cost to the supporter or to Housing Action Illinois. The more supporters use this free platform before engaging a real estate agent, the more resources Housing Action Illinois has to ensure that more Illinoisans have safe, decent, and affordable housing.

For more than 30 years, Housing Action Illinois has fought to help all state residents secure quality, affordable, and stable housing. This coalition focuses on low- and moderate-income families, those at the highest risk for inadequate or inhabitable housing. Housing Action Illinois recently helped secure $200 million for affordable housing projects and advocated for fair housing on behalf of people with criminal records.

On a general level, Housing Action Illinois acts as a clearinghouse for housing crisis help and housing resources to people all over the state. Housing Action Illinois also partners with various member organizations — such as the Cook County Housing Authority and DeKalb Housing Authority — to improve its effectiveness and reach.

To achieve its organizational goals, Housing Action Illinois focuses on three core programs — Policy Advocacy, Public Education & Organizing, and Capacity Building.

Policy Advocacy

The Policy Advocacy program helps a diverse assortment of stakeholders band together to achieve policy solutions and secure much-needed public funding for those efforts. Though this program, Housing Action Illinois has helped win numerous policy victories at the Illinois state and U.S. federal levels.  

In unifying many disparate voices into a single microphone, the Policy Advocacy program aims to: 

• Improve affordability of rental units; 
• Promote reasonable access to homeownership;
• End homelessness;
• Enhance fair housing standards;
• Advocate for reasonable eviction guidelines; and
• Assist with housing placement for people with criminal records.

Public Education & Organizing

The Public Education & Organizing program stimulates awareness through knowledge-sharing efforts with politicians, nonprofit leaders, service providers, and the media. To accomplish these ends, the Public Education & Organizing program revolves around three pillars:

• Conference — host and organize an annual conference for knowledge sharing between member organizations, advocates, and practitioners;
• Caravan — travel across Illinois, visiting rural, suburban, and urban areas to meet with residents and stakeholders and understand housing challenges throughout the state; and
• Publication — Housing Action Illinois publishes various reports and materials related to fair and affordable housing.

Capacity Building

The Capacity Building program exists to help housing counseling agencies and housing developers improve their ability to have greater impact. Through workshops, technical assistance, and other support, the Capacity Building program can assist:

• Housing Counselors — Housing Action Illinois supports housing counselors and agencies through training services, support programs, and resource advocacy;
• Housing Counseling Intermediaries — Housing Action Illinois is approved by HUD to facilitate the distribution of housing counseling funds through 26 nonprofit agencies; and
• Housing Developers — Housing Action Illinois helps housing developers navigate various housing challenges with trainings and discussion forums. 

Your Purchase, Sale, or Lease Helps Provide Access to Affordable Housing in Illinois

Anyone who cares about providing access to affordable housing can turn virtually any brokered real estate transaction into funding for Housing Action Illinois. Generate funding for the cause by using this free platform to choose among real estate agents that are appropriate for your residential or commercial real estate needs. Or use IIC to make arrangements with an agent you already have in mind. For example, the purchase or sale of $300,000 home can result in about $1,300 of free funding, which has a direct impact on our mission. Ready to start?