Housing Action Illinois

09/03/2026

We're collecting stories from housing counselors and clients to show why federal housing counseling funding matters 🏡 Even a sentence or two helps! Text, audio, or video all welcome.

Submit by Sept. 11 (counselors) or Sept. 18 (clients): https://housingactionil.org/blog/2026/08/21/housing-counseling-matters-2026-story-collection/

09/02/2026

During her service year, AmeriCorps VISTA Alice Nicholson spread the word about Lake-McHenry Habitat for Humanity’s resources and programs. Read our member spotlight: https://housingactionil.org/blog/2026/09/01/lake-mchenry-spotlight/

09/01/2026

Thanks to Community Opportunity Alliance for hosting an informative, engaging summit in Rhode Island last week! Housing Action's Sharon Legenza and Kristin Ginger presented on the IL CRA and on media outreach, and our staff greatly appreciated the chance to connect with peers at statewide alliances from around the country.

08/31/2026

We're collecting stories from housing counselors and clients to show why federal housing counseling funding matters 🏡 Even a sentence or two helps! Text, audio, or video all welcome.

Submit by Sept. 11 (counselors) or Sept. 18 (clients): https://housingactionil.org/blog/2026/08/21/housing-counseling-matters-2026-story-collection/

08/28/2026

Just one month until ! Our annual conference brings together 350+ professionals from the homelessness & affordable housing field to spark connections, get the latest updates, and share ideas. Join us on Sept. 29-30 in Champaign, IL: https://housingactionil.org/annual-conference

08/28/2026

“Housing counseling helps nearly a million households a year...The new eligible activity restrictions will limit what counseling activities can be reimbursed by HUD but will not lessen the demand for housing counseling services,” warns Housing Action's David Young in this Shelterforce article by Cristy Villalobos-Hauser of UnidosUS.

Read the full article: https://shelterforce.org/2026/08/27/hud-funding-notice-upends-housing-counseling-assistance/

08/26/2026

"People are not taught how to purchase a home. They're not taught how to build their credit or how to fix their credit," Housing Action's David Young explains. Housing counselors offer essential guidance to anyone who needs support. Learn more and find a housing counselor at housingactionil.org/capacitybuilding

08/25/2026

In our HECM Default Counseling training, participants will learn about the common causes of HECM defaults, including property charge delinquencies, failure to maintain the property, and other compliance issues. The course will provide a step-by-step approach to assist borrowers in resolving defaults, including strategies for reinstatement, repayment plans, and alternatives to foreclosure. Register here: https://housingactionil.salsalabs.org/2026hecmdefaultcounseling/index.html

08/24/2026

"Our 2025 Annual Report is now available! Learn about what we accomplished in 2025 and our goals for the future—all possible thanks to the collaboration and guidance of our 200+ member organizations. Join our coalition to help us build an Illinois where everyone has access to good, affordable housing.

Become a member: https://housingactionil.org/join-us/become-a-member/

2025 Annual Report: https://bit.ly/2025HAIAnnualReport

08/21/2026

“Candidly, the people’s wages just really haven’t kept up with the cost of housing, as well as other demands that are being placed on people’s income because of inflation,” Housing Action's Sharon Legenza tells the Belleville News-Democrat in this article about the rising costs of rental housing in Illinois.

Read more:

Here’s the latest report on Illinois’ “housing wage” and how much metro-east residents need to make.