SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Supportive Housing Providers Association (SHPA) Executive Director David Esposito testified before the Senate Health & Human Services Appropriations Hearing Wednesday night. SHPA and its partner organizations are requesting a funding Increase for Supportive Housing Program Services Supports to be included as part of the FY24 budget. SHPA continues to be grateful for the commitment to funding for supportive housing services by the Illinois General Assembly in the FY23 budget, however, the need to respond to the social and economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic continues. “Everyone needs and deserves safe, decent, stable housing. For some of the most vulnerable people in Illinois — people with mental illness, chronic health conditions, histories of trauma, and other struggles — a home helps them to get adequate treatment and start on the path toward self-sufficiency. But some conditions make it difficult for people to maintain a stable home without additional help. Supportive housing, a highly effective and proven strategy that combines affordable housing with intensive coordinated services, can provide that needed assistance.,” said Mr. Esposito, he went on to say, “The issues of affordable housing and homelessness have been made even more urgent by the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, when it comes to homelessness, this is a challenge not just happening in Illinois, but across the nation, and it has deep and immediate impacts on the lives of all it touches,”
Supportive housing providers are experiencing the largest workforce crisis in decades, program cost increases and are struggling to meet increased demand for services from individuals who, but for the support of providers such as the those that are SHPA members, would be homeless or institutionalized, and facing steep barriers to housing, health and behavioral healthcare, and human services. Instead, they’d rely on hospital emergency rooms, jails, and prisons to meet their immediate needs.
· 10,431 Illinoisians are Homeless Tonight- 47.5% have a disabling condition- 20% are experiencing chronic homelessness. · Illinois had the 5th highest increase in the rate of chronic homelessness in the nation. · 17,684 Supportive Housing beds are currently dedicated to Illinoisians who have experienced homelessness or unnecessary institutionalization · 40,749 Additional Illinoisians need Supportive Housing now- · 8 times higher for Black/African Americans households to experience homelessness in Illinois.
SHPA is requesting the General Assembly to appropriate a total $57,095,130 million (increase $14.5 million) to supportive housing services in the FY24 state budget (breakdown as follows): General Revenue: · $ 28,060,180 million Supportive housing MI Housing (IDHS-Division of Mental Health) o $ 2,271,380 million increase for 10% cost of living increase for all current homeless and supportive housing grantees to offset increased program related costs. o $ 3,075,000 million increase to support services to 308 new unit development between 2022 & 2023. · $ 25,314,200 million to Supportive Housing Services (IDHS-Bureau of Homeless Services) o $ 1,649,010 million increase a 10% cost of living increase for all current homeless and supportive housing grantees to offset increased program related costs. o $ 7,175,000 million increase to support services to 718 new unit development between 2022 & 2023. State Grants: · $ 3,720,750 million to Supportive Housing Mental Health Services and a $ 338,250 thousand increase to for a 10% cost of living increase for all current supportive housing grantees to offset increase program related costs.
