Pritzker Administration Awards $55 Million to Improve Housing Accessibility and Stability for Vulnerable Residents

For Immediate Release – January 26, 2022

CHICAGO – The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Board announced the conditional award of more than $55.7 million in state and federal resources that will finance the creation or preservation of permanent supportive housing across the state. Awarded under Round VIII of IHDA’s Permanent Supportive Housing Development Program, the awards will support the construction and rehabilitation of 10 developments containing 259 units of affordable housing for persons at risk of homelessness, residents with physical challenges or mental health needs, and other vulnerable populations. To further support the success of residents over the long term, the housing will be integrated with flexible supportive services designed to help these households maintain their housing stability, health, and independence.

“My administration understands that affordable housing and accessible housing go hand in hand when it comes to supporting our residents,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This $55 million investment to develop hundreds of new supportive units is the next step in our efforts to tackle housing instability for all Illinoisans, building on the $75 million affordable housing investment we made last summer and the hundreds of millions of dollars we’ve deployed to renters and homeowners in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Every resident deserves the basic foundation on which to build a good life for themselves and their families, and this work continues until we can give it to them.”

The Permanent Supportive Housing Development Program was created to support Illinois’ efforts increase the community-based housing options available to vulnerable populations and those leaving institutional settings. Developments funded by the program serve individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, persons with disabilities, veterans, and other residents who face barriers to stable housing. The program also encourages program sponsors to partner with a health and hospital system, coordinate with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and DCFS grantees to house young adults aging out of DCFS care, or meet the housing and service needs of justice-involved individuals as they return to their communities.

“The pandemic has made it impossible to ignore that stable housing is critical to our health and wellness, and that is especially true for those facing the challenges of homelessness, disability, and poverty,” IHDA Executive Director Kristin Faust said. “Supportive housing is a cost-effective and equitable solution to the cycle of crisis, homelessness and institutionalization, and we are grateful to have the support of the Pritzker administration as we work to ensure that stable housing and supportive services are available and open to every Illinois resident who need them.”

In addition to stable housing, developments financed under the program help residents access a range of elective supportive services appropriate to individual needs and preferences, including case management, health services and referrals, and employment resources.

“Lakeview Landing and The Covent are innovative public-private partnerships that illustrate what CHA is here to do: help people. These projects support our vision of creating and preserving affordable housing in neighborhoods across the City and expanding supportive housing options for residents with additional needs. We are grateful to our partners at IHDA, Over the Rainbow Association, Lakeview Lutheran, New Covent and the NHP Foundation for making Lakeview Landing and The Covent possible,” said Chicago Housing Authority CEO Tracey Scott.

Financing for this round was awarded from the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund, the National Housing Trust Fund, and the federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program. In addition, Authority-administered rental assistance was committed under the Long-Term Operating Support and HOME programs.

More details on the developments approved under Round VIII of the Permanent Supportive Housing Development Program are below:

Arlington Heights PSH (Arlington Heights): A three-story, 25-unit development that will serve persons with a disability, youth aging out of DCFS-funded care, and veterans. Developed by Full Circle Communities, the development will create new opportunities for tenants to live in an amenity-rich and transit-accessible community in Chicago’s northwest suburbs.

Lakeview Landing (Chicago): A new construction, six-story, 37-unit building in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood designed for residents with mobility challenges. Sponsored by the Over the Rainbow Association and located on a site donated by the Lakeview Lutheran Church, the development will feature space for on-site supportive services as well as easy access to transportation and healthcare amenities. All 37 units will be supported by rental assistance form the Chicago Housing Authority.

The Covent (Chicago): The rehabilitation of the former Covent Hotel, a former single-room occupancy hotel originally built in 1904 in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Work includes merging and upgrading the 64 single room occupancy (SRO) units to create 30 studio apartments with private kitchens and bathrooms while enhancing the building’s common areas. The project is developed by the NHP Foundation with services provided by Renaissance Social Services.

ReVive Center Cressey House (Chicago): A rehabilitation project led by the ReVive Center to renovate and preserve 28 units of supportive housing. All 28 units will be upgraded with new appliances and finishes while the building’s mechanical systems and common areas are replaced and modernized.

Wildwood Commons (Elgin): Construction of a two-story, 24-unit building in Elgin built on a three-acre site donated by the Association for Individual Development. Designed to serve individuals with physical or mental health challenges and those at risk of homelessness, on-site services will include wellness and health programs, job skills training, and employment programs to help residents develop skills to enter the workforce.

Hill Arboretum (Evanston): Rehabilitation of an existing 33-unit development in Evanston for adults and seniors with physical disabilities. The Over the Rainbow Association plans to make capital repairs to the building while renovating the units to better serve tenants. Work will ensure the development continues to provide barrier-free housing for vulnerable individuals in an amenity-rich neighborhood.

Kankakee Veterans Housing (Kankakee): A redevelopment led by the Kankakee County Housing Development Corporation to rehabilitate a vacant property into 14 studio apartments for veterans experiencing homelessness. The development is located one block from the River Valley Metro bus stop and will have rental assistance for every unit provided by the County Housing Authority to ensure rents are affordable to extremely low-income veterans.

Madison Apartments III (Peoria): A new construction, four-story development creating 16 studio and one-bedroom units sponsored by Phoenix Community Development Services. When complete, the development will provide housing and supportive services for homeless residents between 18 and 24 years old, many of whom will be aging out of the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

Apoyo Village (Silvis): A new construction development sponsored by the Rock Island County Housing Finance Corporation and the Youth Service Bureau of Rock Island County. Built on a currently vacant site, the three-story building will create 24 one-, two- and three-bedroom units set aside for extremely low-income households and residents with mental health needs.

Park Street Apartments (Springfield): Construction of three new buildings, each containing eight units intended to serve homeless individuals not currently assisted by local programs. The development is sponsored by the Helping Hands of Springfield, an organization established in 1989 to help provide housing and other essential needs for residents experiencing homelessness.

About the Illinois Housing Development Authority

IHDA (www.ihda.org) is a self-supporting state agency that finances the creation and the preservation of affordable housing across Illinois. Since its creation in 1967, IHDA has allocated $18 billion and financed approximately 255,000 affordable housing units for residents of Illinois.