Seeking to tackle homelessness head-on, the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) have opened applications for development teams to join the 2025 Supportive Housing Institute. This move, announced earlier today, is designed to prepare teams to develop affordable housing with the inclusion of supportive services, drawing on funding available at both federal and state levels, including IHDA's Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Development Program.
According to IHDA's announcement, Governor JB Pritzker expressed his administration's dedication to eradicating homelessness in the state. "My administration remains committed to reaching functional zero homelessness in Illinois, and the Supportive Housing Institute is key to making that a reality," Pritzker stressed. The governor highlighted the value of the SHI and urged housing development teams across Illinois to apply and contribute to the transformation of lives through the provision of stable and supportive housing. Given the complex nature of affordable housing projects, development teams will need a developer, property manager, and a supportive services partner, encouraging the inclusion of an individual with lived experience to inject key insights into the project design.
Over the course of the training, which extends from March until June 2025, teams will commit to attending two-day monthly sessions in Springfield. These workshops will cover affordable housing development, equipping participants with the necessary expertise to manage each project's diverse facets, from identifying a tenant population to securing alignment with federal and state funding eligibility, explained IHDA Executive Director Kristin Faust in her statement. Faust emphasized that without a stable living environment, individuals struggle to enhance their health, and employment opportunities, and to break free from the grips of housing insecurity.
Applications are not only open for SHI, but graduates of the program will become eligible to tap into awards from the PSH Development Program. Earlier this year, IHDA granted a record-setting $123 million to establish 14 supportive housing developments, attributed in part to the SHI graduates' successful outcomes. Angela D. Brooks, the Illinois Director for CSH, spoke of the SHI's effectiveness. "Through participation in SHI, teams will acquire improved skills to create and operate single site, integrated supportive housing projects," Brooks told Illinois.gov. Brooks went on to describe the potential for SHI graduates to develop a solid network of peers and experts to support project development and resolution of issues, with CSH providing ongoing technical assistance.
For those interested in learning more about the SHI opportunity, a webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, December 4 at 10:00 a.m., and participants can register in advance through the provided link. With the application window set to close at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, potential applicants are urged to review the program details and submission requirements, which are available on the IHDA website online.
