$123 million in funding will create 14 life-changing, supportive housing developments for persons with disabilities and those at risk of homelessness

CHICAGO - The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) has announced more than $123 million in state and federal resources have been awarded by the agency to finance permanent supportive housing throughout Illinois. Awarded under Round X of IHDA's Permanent Supportive Housing Development Program, this funding represents the largest ever annual award made by the State to fund housing and services for individuals at risk of homelessness, those living with disabilities, or other vulnerable populations. Funds will be used for the construction or rehabilitation of 14 developments containing 392 units of affordable housing that will be integrated with flexible supportive services designed to help residents maintain their housing stability, health, and independence.

"Everyone deserves a safe and stable place to call home," said Governor JB Pritzker. "That's why Illinois is making historic investments in homelessness prevention and housing services. By financing 14 supportive housing developments statewide, we are strengthening our permanent housing infrastructure to help vulnerable communities access the holistic resources they need."

The Permanent Supportive Housing Development Program was created to increase the community-based housing options available to vulnerable populations and those leaving institutional settings. Developments funded through the program serve individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, persons with disabilities, veterans, justice-involved individuals, frequent utilizers of emergency rooms, and other populations who face hurdles in finding and maintaining stable housing. These developments will provide residents access to a range of elective supportive services appropriate to their individual needs and preferences, including case management, health services and referrals, and employment resources.

"Governor Pritzker tasked the Illinois Housing Development Authority, along with our partner state agencies, to help achieve functional zero for homelessness across the state," said IHDA Executive Director Kristin Faust. "We did not view this as a challenge, but an opportunity to do our part to increase housing for some of Illinois' most vulnerable. With limited resources, we strategically leveraged various funding streams to award the single largest permanent supportive housing round in our history. These developments will be transformative for the residents by providing stable, affordable housing with support and additional resources for growth and independence."

When evaluating applications for Round X, IHDA focused on five priorities including:

- Addressing inequities in housing,

- Advancing access for priority populations,

- Utilizing affordable housing infrastructure to promote access,

- Maximizing impact of new resources and programming by building partnerships and leadership capacity,

- Achieving functional zero for Illinois/accelerating development of PSH units.

"Phoenix Manor will transform the former Methodist College of Nursing building into 55 units of support housing for individuals experiencing homelessness," said Assistant Majority Leader David Koehler (D-Peoria). "This development will bridge the gap between healthcare and affordable housing to reduce costs and improve the health of tenants with chronic illnesses. I applaud Phoenix Community Development Services and all those working to end homelessness."

Financing for Round X was awarded from the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund, the National Housing Trust Fund, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the HOME Investment Partnership Program, and the Healthy Housing, Healthy Communities (H3C) initiative. H3C is a new funding opportunity that encourages strategic partnerships with hospitals, managed care organizations (MCOs), and insurers. H3C funds will support two developments that have financial contributions from local healthcare providers and address community heath inequities in Peoria and Urbana.

"The state of Illinois needs more than 6,000 additional units of affordable housing for our most vulnerable populations," said State Representative Curtis Tarver, II (D-Chicago). "Developments like Villa Guadalupe will allow for those requiring supportive housing in southeast Cook County the ability to live independently while receiving the social services necessary to continue to thrive. The permanent supportive housing program is a great example of utilizing State resources to help break the cycle of homelessness, institutionalization, and crisis."

Affordable housing developments approved under Round X of the Permanent Supportive Housing Development Program are as follows:

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.