For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023

Contact: Andrew Field

Strong Communities Program Assists 68 Units of Local Government With Affordable Housing Creation and Community Development Efforts

CHICAGO – The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Board approved $19 million to support affordable housing and community revitalization efforts across Illinois. Awarded under the Strong Communities Program (SCP), the initiative will provide funding to 68 units of local governments and land bank authorities for the acquisition, maintenance, rehabilitation, and demolition of abandoned residential properties in their communities. The program is designed to support local revitalization efforts and attract further investment in communities that may lack the resources needed to tackle vacant, abandoned and deteriorated properties.

“My administration is committed to investing in communities across the state, especially those that have been historically underserved,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Thanks to the Strong Communities Program and the Illinois Housing Development Authority, this $19 million in funding will directly support local governments in their infrastructure restoration efforts. With a central focus on affordable housing developments, we’re investing in our most important resource – our people – for years to come.”

“Every Illinoisan deserves stable and affordable housing. Thanks to Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Housing Development Authority, we are leading with compassion and improving our communities,” said Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton. "This $19 million investment will bolster our neighborhoods and ensure Illinois families have a place to call home."

SCP was created in Aug. 2020 in response to the Illinois Community Revitalization Task Force that was created by the Illinois General Assembly to help address vacant and abandoned residential properties. This round of SCP provides grants up to $750,000 to help Illinois municipalities, counties and land banks address local affordable housing needs and community revitalization efforts. The program aims to return vacant residential properties to productive and taxable use through rehabilitation and provide funds for demolition in cases where properties are beyond repair and negatively impacting neighboring residences. As a result, SCP will help to increase property values, create jobs, help reduce crime, generate additional tax revenue, and attract further community investment.

“Vacant and abandoned properties continue to be a strain on local budgets and resources in communities throughout Illinois, which is why IHDA created the Strong Communities Program to assist local governments with their neighborhood revitalization efforts,” IHDA Executive Director Kristin Faust said. “Through the Strong Communities Program, IHDA seeks to help communities transform these properties back into positive, revenue-generating assets for neighborhoods.”

SCP program funds reimburse applicants for costs related to the acquisition, rehabilitation and maintenance of abandoned residential properties and may also include reimbursements for tree, shrub and debris removal, lot treatment and greening and other reasonable construction costs associated with returning vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties to productive use.

“Investing in affordable housing uplifts our community and boosts our local economy,” said State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea). “We are taking strong strides toward revitalization and attracting investments in the communities that need it most. Cahokia Heights residents deserve sustainable, livable housing options and this funding will help the area continue to grow.”

"Vacant and blighted properties are a big obstacle for cities and villages that are trying to grow their local economies," said State Representative Robert 'Bob' Rita (D-Blue Island). "Through the Strong Communities Program, municipalities like Blue Island have an important tool to help grow and revitalize."

The grants are funded by the Rebuild Illinois capital plan and will leverage IHDA’s ongoing state and federally funded initiatives to increase property values, create jobs, help reduce crime, generate additional tax revenue, and attract further community investment in underserved communities around the state. A total of $30 million in grant funding has been awarded through over two application rounds.

“As our economy continues to improve and we continue to get the state back to work for working families, it’s important that we leverage our newfound prosperity to revitalize every community,” said State Representative Sue Scherer (D-Decatur). “The Strong Communities Program funds efforts to address blighted properties in our community, eliminating factors that lower property values and providing more opportunities for aspiring homeowners.”

Strong Communities Program Round 2 Grantees

Applicant	County	Grant Amount
Adams County	Adams	$162,000
Champaign County Regional Planning Council	Champaign	$337,000
City of Alton	Madison	$399,000
City of Aurora	Kane	$487,000
City of Benton	Franklin	$45,000
City of Bloomington	McLean	$103,000
City of Blue Island	Cook	$374,000
City of Cahokia Heights	St. Clair	$225,000
City of Carbondale	Jackson	$484,000
City of Carmi	White	$120,000
City of Carthage	Hancock	$552,000
City of Centralia	Clinton, Jefferson, Marion, and Washington	$357,000
City of Champaign	Champaign	$135,000
City of Charleston	Coles	$111,000
City of Chicago Heights	Cook	$712,000
City of Danville	Vermilion	$399,000
City of Decatur	Macon	$337,000
City of Dekalb	Dekalb	$109,000
City of Flora	Clay	$185,000
City of Freeport	Stephenson	$300,000
City of Galesburg	Knox	$562,000
City of Henry	Marshall	$461,000
City of Jacksonville	Morgan	$562,000
City of Kewanee	Henry	$163,000
City of LaSalle	LaSalle	$100,000
City of Litchfield	Montgomery	$258,000
City of Macomb	McDonough	$487,000
City of Moline	Rock Island	$417,000
City of Monmouth	Warren	$212,000
City of Oakland	Coles	$95,000
City of Oglesby	LaSalle	$210,000
City of Peoria	Peoria	$712,000
City of Pittsfield	Pike	$41,000
City of Quincy	Adams	$330,000
City of Rock Falls	Whiteside	$103,000
City of Rock Island	Rock Island	$268,000
City of Rockford	Winnebago	$125,000
City of Salem	Marion	$190,000
City of Savanna	Carroll	$562,000
City of Sesser	Franklin	$50,000
City of Springfield	Sangamon	$337,000
City of Sterling	Whiteside	$257,000
City of Streator	Lasalle and Livingston	$73,000
City of Vienna	Johnson	$75,000
City of Virden	Macoupin and Sangamon	$131,000
Cook County Land Bank Authority	Cook	$562,000
DuPage County Building and Zoning Dept	DuPage	$299,000
Kankakee County	Kankakee	$487,000
Lee County	Lee	$154,000
Macon County	Macon	$337,000
NILBA - Region 1 Planning Council	Winnebago	$337,000
Peoria County	Peoria	$239,000
Putnam County	Putnam	$57,000
South Suburban Land Bank and Development	Cook, Will	$562,000
Village of Brownstown	Fayette	$51,000
Village of Buda	Bureau	$158,000
Village of Carrier Mills	Saline	$75,000
Village of Coal City	Grundy	$84,000
Village of Dongola	Union	$120,000
Village of East Cape Girardeau	Alexander	$60,000
Village of Hopkins Park	Kankakee	$195,000
Village of Maywood	Cook	$464,000
Village of Park Forest	Cook	$712,000
Village of Pulaski	Pulaski	$75,000
Village of Rutland	LaSalle	$324,000
Village of Sauk Village	Cook	$337,000
Village of Worden	Madison	$131,000
Winnebago County Health Department	Winnebago	$487,000

About the Illinois Housing Development Authority

IHDA (www.ihda.org) is a self-supporting state agency that finances the creation and the preservation of affordable housing across Illinois. Since its creation in 1967, IHDA has allocated $18 billion and financed approximately 255,000 affordable housing units for residents of Illinois.

Illinois e-News Release

Pritzker Administration Provides $19 Million for Community Revitalization

Attachments