Housing Action Illinois was originally founded in 1986 as Statewide Housing Action Coalition ("SHAC"), but adopted the current name in June of 2005. Housing Action Illinois led the campaign to create the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which has provided financing for more than 35,000 units of Affordable Housing in the state. In recent years, Housing Action helped pass the Rental Housing Support Program, which increases rental subsidies for very low income households, and helped push for an 6% increase in Emergency Food and Shelter funding.

Our mission is to increase and preserve the supply of decent, affordable, accessible housing in Illinois for low- and moderate-income households. We are a statewide coalition of 150 members that include community based organizations, non-profit housing developers, social service agencies, businesses and faith based groups committed to working for affordable housing in Illinois.

Our programs include 1) technical assistance and training for non-profit housing developers and housing counseling agencies, 2) public education and organizing and 3) public policy and advocacy.