HACC To Receive Re-Entry Rental Housing Support Demonstration Program Grant

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information Contact:
Ashley Short, Executive Assistant
217-378-7100 Ext. 5028
Email Ashley

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY TO RECEIVE RE-ENTRY RENTAL HOUSING SUPPORT DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM GRANT

Champaign, IL. July 20, 2020. The Housing Authority of Champaign County (HACC) will receive $487,674 in support to fund 15 units in Champaign County to help participants transition back into the community.  This partnership was created by the Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton and the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), and the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) to announce the launch of the Re-Entry Rental Housing Support Demonstration Program. This program is an interagency initiative design to meet the housing needs of individuals exiting IDOC facilities. Under the new program, IHDA has entered into funding agreements with four local administering agencies (LAA) who will deploy $3 million in grant funding over 3 years to support housing placement and ongoing rental subsidies for 75 eligible participants specifically referred by IDOC's new Reentry Division. With the launch of the program, the IDOC may begin making referrals to the participating LAAs to connect individuals with available rental units in their community.

"It allows them to get their foot in the door, and if they're able to secure a place to live, if they're able to be with their families and be in a community, it makes it a little bit easier for them to succeed." - David A. Northern Sr. Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer at the Housing Authority of Champaign County.

Individuals eligible for IDOC referral to the Re-Entry Rental Housing Support Demonstration Program are seniors (ages 55 and over), those with disabilities, and those ages 35 and over with additional consideration given to individuals who have completed or enrolled in post-secondary educational programming. Potential participants will have also completed in-depth pre-release programming. After the referrals, participating LAAs will coordinate with local landlords to secure stable housing and will administer rental assistance payments for tenants who will be released on parole directly into a Re-Entry program apartment.

The Re-Entry program was developed under guidance from the Justice, Equity, and Opportunity Initiative led by the Lt. Governor's office. Through coordination across state agencies and advocates, the program aims to support positive reentry outcomes to reduce recidivism by helping formerly incarcerated individuals find and maintain stable housing. The rental assistance under this pilot initiative is funded through the state's Rental Housing Support program, which receives its funding from a real estate document recording fee collected at the county level. An additional grant, secured on behalf of the program by New York University (NYU), will support the provision of basic housewares and home furnishings for program participants. Program partners are also actively pursuing philanthropic support for data analysis and an evaluation of program efficacy by measuring outcomes of individuals who are connected to housing and services.  

About the Housing Authority of Champaign County: The Housing Authority of Champaign County (HACCA) is a municipal corporation organized pursuant to the Illinois Housing Authority Act. The jurisdiction of HACC includes all incorporated and unincorporated areas of the County of Champaign, Illinois.  In 2010, HACC became one of only 39 Public Housing Authorities in the country to be designated as a Moving to Work (MTW) Agency. Today, HACC has extensive development and management experience having developed over $100 million dollars of the new affordable housing through mixed financing methods, in addition to administering over 1,200 tenant-based vouchers; a homeownership program; and a rental assistance program for homeless veterans. HACC also administers a multitude of resident support and service programs under various HUD and non-HUD grants. 

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For more information, visit www.hacc.net, and for questions/concerns, please email Concerns or call 217-378-7100 ext. 5001.