SHPA’s Advocacy Kick Off Spring into Action! State Budget Advocacy One voice is heard, many voices are listened to Agenda • Getting Involved with SHPA • SHPA 2021 Initiatives • SHPA’s Call To Action! Strengthen the supportive housing industry, to enable the increased development of SHPA Committees: supportive housing, and to support non-profit • Governance Committee organizations to develop the capacity for • Legislative Committee providing permanent supportive housing • Advocacy Committee • Standards & Best Practices Committee • Membership association • Residents Committee • Strong state and federal advocacy voice • Continuum of Care Committee • Training and technical assistance • Supportive housing resident involvement Legislative Committee

The Legislative committee keeps its ear to the ground on state and federal issues affecting supportive housing and its stakeholders. The committee keeps the membership abreast of proposed and pending legislation, changes in current funding and policies, administrative agency policy issues and lets us know when action is needed and develops advocacy campaigns as needed. If you are an advocate or want to learn how to be an advocate this committee is for you.

The committee meets by phone on the Third Thursday of the month at 9:00 am. Advocacy Committee

SHPA’s advocacy work loops together regional leadership and strong relationships, moving thought into action. The Advocacy committee is the action group that helps mobilize advocacy campaigns state-wide. The committee lifts up the needs related to Supportive Housing and SHPA’s ultimate goal – ensuring that every Illinoisan has a home that meets their needs in the communities they choose. SHPA is dedicated to state-wide advocacy with champions from communities across Illinois.

The committee meets by phone on the Fourth Tuesday at 1:00 pm Legislative Committee Chairs Lisa Kuklinksi Lore Baker Increase, Protect and Preserve, Funding and Resources for Supportive Housing Services

SHPA’s 2021 Policy Priorities State Policy Priorities

Illinois Housing Access Medicaid Interagency Assistance funding as supplement for Council Program Supportive Housing (1915(i) on Ending State Plan Amendment) Homelessness

• Alignment of Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA)/Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Resources to Increase Capacity for Supportive • Housing Public Housing Access Bill Federal Policy Priorities

Reinstatement Of Preservation HUD Secretary Affirmatively of with Furthering Housing Specific Fair Housing First Eligibility (AFFH)

• Expansion of Eligibility for HUD-VASH (continued)

Advocacy is • It can take a wide array of the active forms • Basic Education about the importance of an issue to support of direct lobbying about a specific piece of legislation an idea or cause. National Alliance to End Homelessness

Our Budget Ask

We are respectfully asking the lawmakers to appropriate $45 million for supportive housing services as part of the FY 2022 budget.

• This funding, which represents an increase relative to the FY 2021 appropriation of $3.054 million, is necessary to sustain current services, address cost increases associated with the pandemic, and provide supportive services for individuals residing in 436 new units of supportive housing that will come online in the next fiscal year – new units that will help us ensure health and safety for more Illinoisans. Telling Your Local Story Helping lawmakers understand that supportive housing is a need in every community in Illinois is critical, but helping lawmakers understand supportive housing is a need of their constituents in the communities they serve will be the most impactful.

Who should tell their story? • Providers • Supporters • Residents Talking Points

Supportive housing can end homelessness, stop unnecessary institutionalization, build communities, and strengthen Illinois. Supportive Housing is innovative, evidence-based, person-centered, and cost-effective. It connects affordable housing and supportive services to Illinoisans who need them. Supportive housing improves lives of Illinoisians and reduces demands on local 1st responders, saving taxpayer’s dollars, wrapping person-led supportive services around affordable housing. Supportive housing is an equitable response to systemic racism. Housing is health care. Supportive housing provides the platform for the delivery of services that lead to improved health and stability. Illinoisans not able to access supportive housing services are more likely to reside in nursing homes or state institutions, alternatives that are far more expensive for Illinois taxpayers, or they are experiencing homelessness. Homelessness is expensive and stresses the resources of local emergency rooms, police, and other first responders and jails, increasing costs for local taxpayers. Finding My Lawmaker

• 177 legislators represent supportive housing residents and providers in Illinois’ General Assembly • 118 Representatives and 59 Senators • Identify the state representative and senator who represent the location of your supportive housing agency • Find your legislators’ contact information by looking up your agency’s address or your address at: • https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/DistrictLocator/AddressFinder.a spx Decision Making Committees House Appropriations-Human Services Senate Appropriations-Human Services Committee Subcommittee

Chairperson : Camille Y. Lilly Vice-Chairperson : Sub-Chair : Sara Feigenholtz Republican Spokesperson : Member: Sub-Vice-Chair : Laura Fine Member: C.D. Davidsmeyer Member: Sub-Vice-Chair : Adriane Johnson Member: Marcus C. Evans, Jr. Member: Randy E. Frese Member: Celina Villanueva Member: Member: Jehan Gordon-Booth Member: LaToya Greenwood Member: Ram Villivalam Member: Sub-Minority John F. Curran Member: Spokesperson: Member: Member: Charles Meier Member: Darren Bailey Member: Bob Morgan Member: Member: Brian W. Stewart Member: Aaron M. Ortiz Member: Delia C. Ramirez Member: Lamont J. Robinson, Jr. Member: Member: Anne Stava-Murray Member: Member: Action Tools

Virtual Call In Days Meetings With Lawmakers

Letter Social Media Campaign Awareness Feedback/Follow Up

SHPA tracks outreach to lawmakers on an ongoing basis. We are constantly evaluating and adjusting our approach based on reports from residents and staff, so your comments are very important and help us to do a better job. • Please, let us know how you participated in our Call to Action via survey

Advocacy Debrief Call Join your fellow advocates on SHPA’s weekly Advocacy Debrief Call. This call will take place on the following Fridays at 9:00am: • • April 16, 2021 • April 23, 2021 • April 30, 2021 • May 7, 2021 • May 14, 2021

Contact

Supportive Housing Providers Association (SHPA) David Esposito, Executive Director #6 Lawrence Square (217) 321-2476 x2 Springfield, Illinois 62704 [email protected] www.shpa-il.org Aaron Eldridge Sr, Illinois Coordinator, Northern Region (217) 321-2476 x1 [email protected]

Susan Day, Illinois Coordinator, Central & Southern Region

Merridith Montgomery, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator (217) 321-2476 x4 [email protected]