CCH organizes for fair and equitable access to affordable, permanent, and suitable housing, aiming to address systemic disparities, eliminate discrimination, and advocate for policies that ensure housing for all.
More than 58,000 Chicagoans experience homelessness each year, whether in shelters, on the street, or doubled-up in the homes of others. It is critical that CCH and our coalition partners secure both immediate and long-term, equitable resources for housing and homeless services.
Now
Bring Chicago Home
Since 2018, CCH has been a lead partner of Bring Chicago Home (BCH), which unites community organizations, elected officials, and people impacted by homelessness. Together, we advocate to establish a dedicated revenue stream to create permanent housing and supportive services for people experiencing homelessness in Chicago. This would generate substantial, dependable, and flexible funding for models with proven results—including homelessness prevention funds, affordable housing subsidies, and crucial supportive services.
While a March 2024 Bring Chicago Home ballot measure failed to pass, the BCH coalition continues to advocate for a dedicated revenue stream to fund housing solutions.
Statewide Policy and Budget Advocacy
At the state level, CCH advocates for equitable budgeting and improvements to Illinois housing programs and policies. We also work to implement an annual legislative agenda that advances statewide policy solutions for housing, education, public benefits, and other issues relevant to people experiencing homelessness.
Then
Over the years, CCH has secured many wins to expand access to permanent, affordable housing in Chicago and across Illinois.
- In 1994, after a decade-long campaign, we secured a settlement that launched the first funding for Chicago’s Low Income Housing Trust Fund, which now subsidizes rental housing for 2,500 very low-income households.
- Our statewide advocacy established homeless prevention grants for at-risk households (2000), the Rental Housing Support Program (2005), and funded affordable housing in an Illinois capital budget for the first time (2009).
- Our Sweet Home Chicago campaign secured $4 million to restore 118 subsidized apartments via the TIF Purchase-Rehab program (2014).
- Our HomeWorks campaign launched the CPS Families in Transition (FIT) program, providing permanent supportive housing for 100 formerly sheltered and doubled-up families from six South and West Side elementary schools (2018).
