CHICAGO – The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) announced today that development teams across Illinois may now apply for the 2027 Supportive Housing Institute (the Institute), an accelerated training and technical assistance program designed to equip teams with the expertise to successfully develop and finance affordable housing with support services. Supportive housing pairs affordable homes with on-site or community-based resources that help residents facing complex challenges live with independence and dignity.
The Supportive Housing Institute provides participants with personal technical assistance 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 March 2027, and selected teams will participate in 10 sessions; six in-person in Springfield, two in-person in Chicago, 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; however, individual developers seeking to participate may submit their own application and CSH will work to match requests based on openings. 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.
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To date, IHDA has committed more than $122.5 million in financing to 16 of the 47 teams that have completed the Supportive Housing Institute, with additional proposals still advancing. Read about two of these success stories: Las Rosas in Aurora and Hill Street Neighborhood in Mt. Morris.
Upcoming Webinars
Developers interested in supportive housing are encouraged to register and attend a special webinar to learn more about the basics of supportive housing and the roles they can play in partnering with service providers in the Institute on:
- Thursday, November 19, at 10:00 a.m. (CST) – Register here.
Potential teams interested in applying or seeking additional information about the Institute are encouraged to register and attend one of two virtual information sessions hosted by IHDA and CSH on:
- Thursday, December 3, at 10:00 a.m. (CST) – Register here.
- Tuesday, January 12, at 1:30 p.m. (CST) – Register here.
How to Apply
Applications will be accepted through 5:00 p.m. (CST) on Friday, January 29, 2027. 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 $30 billion in state, federal, and leveraged financing to make possible the purchase, development, or rehabilitation of 343,475 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 512,500 units of affordable and supportive housing and distributed over $2.2 billion in loans and grants. 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.
