South Suburban Housing Center

THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION IS TO PROMOTE AND FOSTER LONG-TERM DIVERSITY BY WORKING TO ELIMINATE ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AND EXPLOITATION IN THE HOUSING MARKET.

COMPREHENSIVE FAIR HOUSING ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM: SUBSTANTIALLY FUNDED BY TWO HUD FAIR HOUSING INITIATIVES PROGRAM (FHIP) GRANTS. ENCOMPASSES THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES: COMPLAINT INTAKE AND INVESTIGATION; FORMAL COMPLAINT PROCESSING AND FILING; INFORMAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION, ADVOCACY FOR MORTGAGE DISTRESSED PROTECTED CLASS FAMILIES; AND A HOST OF EDUCATION, OUTREACH, AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES. FOR PROGRAM YEAR 2021, THE ORGANIZATION PROCESSED 194 COMPLAINT INTAKES, CONDUCTED 137 TEST PART INVESTIGATIONS; CONTINUED TO LITIGATE 4 FORMAL ADMINISTRATIVE AND FEDERAL COURT ACTIONS ALLEGING VIOLATIONS OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT; ASSISTED 23 MORTGAGE DISTRESSED HOMEOWNERS AND SUCCESSFULLY RESOLVED 13 PENDING ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE: CONDUCTING 17 LARGE GROUP VIRTUAL FAIR HOUSING/LENDING WORKSHOP SESSIONS ATTENDED BY 897 INDIVIDUALS; DISTRIBUTING 41 FAIR HOUSING/LENDING EVENT RELEASE PROMOTIONS BY EMAIL BLASTS OR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTING TO 152,524 ADDRESSES; ATTRACTED 41,785 FAIR HOUSING OR LENDING INFORMATION VISITS TO OUR WEBSITE; AND IMPLEMENTED AN OUTDOOR MULTI-MEDIA INTERSTATE BILLBOARD AND MASS TRANSIT BUS FAIR HOUSING ADVERTISEMENT CAMPAIGN CREATING 7,254,213 IMPRESSIONS.

HOUSING COUNSELING PROGRAM: PRIMARILY FUNDED BY MULTIPLE SMALL DOLLAR GRANTS AND FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES. INCLUDES THE PROVISION OF THE FOLLOWING COMPREHENSIVE HUD-CERTIFIED HOUSING COUNSELING ACTIVITIES: INDIVIDUAL ONE-ON-ONE RENTAL AND HOMELESS REFERRALS; PRE- AND POST-PURCHASE HOMEOWNERSHIP COUNSELING; MORTGAGE DELINQUENCY AND FORECLOSURE COUNSELING; AS WELL AS GROUP COUNSELING ACTIVITIES INCLUDING HOME BUYER WORKSHOPS, FINANCIAL LITERACY WORKSHOPS AND FORECLOSURE ASSISTANCE AND MORTGAGE FRAUD AWARENESS WORKSHOPS. FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021, COUNSELING SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO 1,114 FAMILIES, OF WHICH 109 WERE FACING FORECLOSURE, 492 SEEKING RENTAL/HOMELESS REFERRALS AND 188 SEEKING TO PURCHASE A HOME, RESULTING IN 71 NEW HOMEOWNERS AND 16 HOMES SAVED THROUGH MORTGAGE MODIFICATIONS AND RESOLUTIONS. OVER 325 INDIVIDUALS ATTENDED 25 WORKSHOPS AND WEBINARS. IN ADDITION TO THE INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING SERVICES PROVIDED, AS A PARTNER AGENCY FOR BOTH THE ILLINOIS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY'S (IHDA) AND COOK COUNTY'S EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, WE DIRECTLY ASSISTED 1,601 RENTERS APPLY FOR THESE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE GRANTS. APPROXIMATELY 9,148 PRINT FLYERS WERE DISTRIBUTED AT OVER 190 EVENTS IN 57 DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND THOUSANDS OF CLIENTS WERE INFORMED OF THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THROUGH ONGOING OUTREACH EMAILS AND SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS.

INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAM: SUBSTANTIALLY FUNDED BY A 2013 CONCILIATION AGREEMENT. PHASE TWO OF THE GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES GRANTS TO EXISTING HOMEOWNERS IN MORTGAGE DISTRESS IN TARGETED COMMUNITIES HARDEST HIT BY THE FORECLOSURE CRISIS, WAS LAUNCHED IN THE 1ST QUARTER OF 2016. SIX (6) GRANTS WERE PROVIDED TO DISTRESSED HOMEOWNERS IN FIVE (5) TARGETED COMMUNITIES IN 2021, FOR A TOTAL OF 72,059.18, ALLOWING THE GRANT RECIPIENTS TO AVOID LOSING THEIR HOME TO FORECLOSURE OR PROPERTY TAX SALES.