Geography: Illinois

Supportive housing is a critical solution to homelessness, but much of the nation’s existing supply is at risk. This April 2026 briefing from CSH highlights the growing crisis facing supportive housing properties, including deferred maintenance, rising operating costs, and limited funding options. Drawing on examples from states and localities across the country, the report outlines promising preservation strategies—such as grants, low-interest financing, and targeted programs—to stabilize and sustain these vital homes. With preservation far more cost-effective than new development, this resource offers actionable insights for policymakers and practitioners working to protect supportive housing and prevent further loss.

CSH is thrilled to announce the teams selected for the 2026 Groundwork: Youth Supportive Housing Development Training Series, a comprehensive four‑month virtual program designed to help communities turn early‑stage ideas into fully developed supportive housing concepts for youth and young adults.

This year’s Groundwork cohort brings together a diverse group of organizations—youth service providers, developers, system partners, and community leaders—who share a commitment to creating safe, stable, and supportive housing opportunities tailored to young people. Over the coming months, participants will engage in a dynamic learning experience that blends training, coaching, and collaborative project development.

About the Groundwork Training Series

Groundwork is a four‑month virtual learning and technical assistance program designed to help multi‑sector teams move a youth supportive housing concept from early vision to actionable plan. Through four live sessions, guided team meetings, individualized coaching, and optional office hours, teams build shared understanding, deepen partnerships, and clarify the steps needed to develop effective supportive housing for youth and young adults.

Participants explore model design, project development basics, system collaboration strategies, and role alignment. Youth and young adult engagement is strongly encouraged to ensure concepts reflect lived expertise and community needs.

Introducing the 2026 Groundwork Cohort

We are proud to welcome the following teams to this year’s Groundwork cohort:

• Better Youth — Los Angeles, California
• Child and Family Charities — Lansing, Michigan
• Covenant House International — Dallas, Texas and Boston, Massachusetts
• Emerging Phoenix — Richmond, Virginia
• Living Waters Youth — Chicago, Illinois
• Montana Continuum of Care Coalition
• Zoe, Incorporated — Richmond, Kentucky

These organizations bring deep experience, passion, and insight from communities across the country. Over the next four months, they will work collaboratively with CSH and one another to strengthen their supportive housing concepts and build the partnerships necessary for long‑term success.

Why Groundwork Matters

Youth and young adults experiencing homelessness face unique challenges—and systems are often not designed to fully meet their needs. Supportive housing provides a stable, youth‑centered foundation for young people to thrive. By equipping communities with tools, knowledge, and a collaborative framework, Groundwork helps lay the foundation for impactful, sustainable solutions.

We look forward to supporting this year’s Groundwork teams as they bring transformative projects to life.

Media Contact: Jesse Dean, CSH, [email protected]

Chicago, IL | CSH and the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) announced today that development teams across the state may now apply for the 2026 Supportive Housing Institute (the Institute), an accelerated training and technical assistance program that helps equip teams with the expertise needed to successfully develop and finance affordable housing with support services. Supportive housing pairs affordable homes with on-site or community-based services that help people facing complex challenges live with autonomy and dignity.  

“At a time when the nation is confronting cuts to essential housing services for our most vulnerable, Illinois continues to invest in the health, safety, and stability of our communities,” said IHDA Executive Director Kristin Faust. “The Supportive Housing Institute remains one of our strongest tools for equipping mission-driven developers with the expertise, confidence, and partnerships needed to bring impactful developments to life and help break the cycle of homelessness. By prioritizing housing paired with supportive services, we’re creating meaningful opportunities for Illinoisans who are too often left behind.”

The Supportive Housing Institute provides participants with personal guidance from IHDA and CSH to navigate the often-complex process of supportive housing development, from financing and service coordination to operations and long-term property management. The Institute begins in March 2026, and selected teams will participate in 10 sessions, eight in-person in Springfield and two virtual, over a four-month period. Teams applying to the Institute are encouraged to include a developer, property manager, and supportive services partner. Teams are also encouraged to include a person with lived experience to help shape designs that better support tenant well-being and long-term housing stability. Developers interested in applying individually may also do so, and CSH will work to match applications based on Institute openings. 

“Supportive housing is one of the most evidence-backed and cost-effective interventions we have that reduces public costs by thousands of dollars per person while delivering lasting stability,” said Julie Nelson, CSH Illinois Director. “Institute teams emerge as leaders advancing these proven solutions in their communities, equipped with best practices and hands-on support to move complex projects forward and help communities shift resources to what works.”

To date, IHDA has committed more than $103 million in financing to 13 of the 38 teams that have completed the Supportive Housing Institute, with additional proposals still advancing. Read about two of these success stories: Mattoon Commons in Mattoon, Illinois and Vivian’s Village in Cahokia Heights, Illinois.

“The Institute provided so much invaluable guidance on the development strategy, the service coordination, and compliance, and then just helping our team in general,” Yost Management’s CEO and Supportive Housing Institute alumni Jeremy Yost said. “It truly gave everyone the proper tools to collaborate more effectively, ensuring each organization’s strengths could be leveraged to serve the residents holistically.”

Upcoming Webinars

Potential teams interested in applying are encouraged to register and attend one of two virtual information sessions hosted by IHDA and CSH:

• Tuesday, December 9 at 10:00 AM – Register here.
• Wednesday, January 7 at 10:00 AM – Register here.

Introduction to Supportive Housing Webinar
Join CSH for an introductory webinar for affordable housing developers interested in learning more about supportive housing. This session will cover the basics of supportive housing, highlight key differences between supportive and affordable housing, and provide an overview of how developments are financed. Interested developers will leave with next steps for getting involved in a development project, including participation in the upcoming Illinois Supportive Housing Institute.
Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM – Register here

How to Apply

Applications will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. (CST) on Friday, January 30, 2025. Additional program details and the online application are available here.

About the Supportive Housing Institute

The Supportive Housing Institute is a signature CSH program designed to kickstart quality affordable and supportive housing development communities. Teams come together for interactive workshops covering all aspects of creating affordable and supportive housing – from initial concept to operations.

Participants will identify a target tenant population, finalize service and tenant selection plans, determine unit mix and design, and align their project with federal and state funding requirements. Upon completion, each team will have a fully developed supportive housing project plan suitable for submission to IHDA’s Permanent Supportive Housing Development Program or IHDA’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, of which Institute teams are incentivized. Teams are also eligible to apply for pre-development financing through CSH’s Project Initiation Loan Fund.

About the Illinois Housing Development Authority

IHDA is a self-supporting and mission-driven state agency dedicated to financing the creation and preservation of affordable housing in Illinois. IHDA offers affordable mortgages and down payment assistance for homebuyers, provides financing for the development of affordable rental housing, and manages a variety of assistance programs to create communities where all Illinoisans can live, work, and thrive. Since it was established in 1967, IHDA has delivered more than $29 billion in state, federal, and leveraged financing to make possible the purchase, development, or rehabilitation of 335,750 homes and apartments for low- and middle-income households. For more information on IHDA programs, visit www.ihda.org.

About Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)

CSH (Corporation for Supportive Housing) advances affordable and accessible housing aligned with services by advocating for effective policies and funding, investing in communities, and strengthening the supportive housing field. Since our founding in 1991, CSH has been the only national nonprofit intermediary focused solely on increasing the availability of supportive housing. Over the course of our work, we have created more than 467,600 units of affordable and supportive housing and distributed over $1.5 billion in loans and grants. Our workforce is central to accomplishing this work. We employ approximately 180 people across 30 states and U.S. Territories. As an intermediary, we do not directly develop or operate housing but center our approach on collaboration with a wide range of people, partners, and sectors. For more information, visit www.csh.org.

About the Institute

Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) and the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) are excited to announce their partnership for the 2026 Illinois Supportive Housing Institute (the Institute). The 2026 Institute will include both in-person and virtual sessions aimed at addressing the statewide need for permanent supportive housing.

This Request for Applications (RFA) will select teams to participate in the 2026 Institute. Over the course of four months, the Institute will provide targeted training and technical assistance that will result in a supportive housing development proposal. The Institute will create a strong foundation for new supportive housing projects and help build strong teams equipped to navigate the complex process of developing housing with supportive services.

How to Submit

Submission Deadline: Friday, January 30, 2026

RFP Submission: Applications for the Institute will be accepted online here.

Institute Informational Webinar

CSH and IHDA will be hosting two Institute Orientation webinars for prospective respondents to this RFA.

Introduction to Supportive Housing Webinar

CSH held an introductory webinar for affordable housing developers interested in learning more about supportive housing. This session will cover the basics of supportive housing, highlight key differences between supportive and affordable housing, and provide an overview of how developments are financed. Interested developers will leave with next steps for getting involved in a development project, including participation in the upcoming Illinois Supportive Housing Institute.

Project Profiles

See example profiles from previous Institute participants

Mattoon Commons

Vivian’s Village

Last month, CSH and the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), celebrated the finale of the 2025 Illinois Supportive Housing Institute. Through the Institute, participants learned to navigate the complex process of developing affordable housing with supportive services. Teams worked to streamline the funding system for supportive housing by improving the planning, coordination, and development initiation process. Twenty-seven development teams have been trained through the Illinois Institute since 2022, 13 of which have received capital financing to move their projects forward.

The 2025 cohort included 11 teams across Illinois, including the communities of Rockford, Aurora, Springfield, Decatur, East St. Louis, Cahokia Heights, and more. The proposed projects will create nearly 400 new units of Supportive Housing. These developments will contribute to state and local community goals to increase supportive housing in Illinois. This will help improve health and housing outcomes, while reducing the use of costly crisis care in hospitals, jails, and institutions. Each of the projects will aim to serve populations facing significant barriers to stable, affordable housing with the support they need to thrive in their community.

2025 Supportive Housing Institute Teams:
Pathways to Possibilities, led by Gorman & Company and Aspire of Illinois, serving individuals with disabilities
Foundation of Hope, led by ATJ Management, serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness
Empowerment Estates, led by Challenge II Change and JTE Real Estate Services, serving individuals exiting the legal system
Hope Housing Lake County, led by Community Partners for Affordable Housing and PADS Lake County, serving families experiencing homelessness
Prairie Refuge, led by DRN Rentals and Heartland Housed, serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness
Unlimited Partnerships, led by Envision Unlimited and North Arrow Partners, serving individuals with disabilities
Rebuild and Rise, led by NYJ Developments, serving individuals exiting the legal system
Living Independence for Everyone, led by the 4M Group and Northwest Compass, serving youth aging out of foster care
Foundation for New Beginnings, led by The House of Mary, serving individuals experiencing homelessness
Shield and Shelter, led by Veterans Elite Development and Construction, serving veterans
My Life My Home, led by Dove Inc., serving individuals experiencing homelessness