Affordable Housing Advocacy

League of Women Voters^®
of Geneva-St. Charles

Advocate for more affordable housing

Affordable Housing Action

LWV Geneva St. Charles Affordable Housing Position
2004 Consensus: The LWV of Geneva-St. Charles supports governmental and community efforts to ensure affordable, safe, and decent housing for the citizens of our towns. During the year 2004-05, the Affordable housing committee in Geneva and St. Charles will examine strategies for improving the supply of affordable housing in Geneva and St. Charles and will recommend appropriate action in this area.
ACTION: March 4, 2004. Kane County Housing Action Coalition was formed with the leadership of the LWV Geneva-St.Charles league.
MISSION: The Kane County Housing Action Coalition (KCHAC) is a network with broad-based grassroots participation that advocates for affordable and fair housing in Kane County.
VISION: KCHAC organizes advocacy efforts by:

Identifying issues and needs
Raising public awareness on the issues
Collaborating with regional, statewide, and national advocacy efforts
Networking through the exchange of education and information.

Additional information at: Housing Action Illinois
More info on LWV Geneva St. Charles Housing Committee, contact affordablehousing@lwvgenstc.org

Kane County Housing Action Coalition

Kane County Housing Action Coalition's 2006-07 Value Statement and Action Agenda
1. We believe that state and local housing policy should include all persons regardless of income.

We supported the passage of Senate Bill 2290, The Comprehensive Housing Planning Act and support the continued progress of the Governor's Housing Task Force. Action Steps: We will monitor the Task Force reports and recommendations and its impact on Kane County.
We support efforts by individual municipalities to address the affordable housing needs of its citizenry by adopting policies that will increase the supply of affordable housing. Action Steps: We will monitor the progress of the St. Charles' housing commission. We will meet with local government representatives to encourage them to establish policies to increase the supply of affordable housing. We will report on the accomplishments of the Kane County communities on a yearly basis.

2. We believe that everyone is entitled to safe, decent and affordable housing.

We support the ability of all individuals regardless of source or amount of income to be able to live in areas of high economic opportunity. Action Steps: We will encourage local units of government to adopt source of income protections as part of their human rights protection. We will support efforts to adopt source of income protections on a state level. We will monitor the Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) compliance with the Housing Opportunity Tax Abatement program for landlords participating in the Housing Choice Voucher program. We support efforts to create local rent subsidy programs such as the one managed by Lazarus House.
We support efforts to effectively deal with the jobs/housing mismatch in the Chicago Metropolitan area. Action Steps: We will promote REACH Illinois and actively recruit employers to participate.
We support community integration for persons with disabilities. Action Steps: We will support efforts to integrate persons with disabilities into their communities.
We supported the creation of the Safe Homes Act that provides protections to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in limited circumstances in their rental housing situation. Action Steps: We will support an education campaign and will support efforts to amend the legislation to provide increased protections.
We support alternatives to the eviction process. Action Steps: We will support a state campaign to create a model program.

3. We believe additional funding is necessary to increase the supply of affordable housing.

We support the Rental Housing Support program. Action Steps: We will monitor the application process. We will encourage organizations in Kane County to apply for the funds. We will meet with the county to determine what the additional $1 being collected is being spent on.
We support efforts to increase the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and oppose efforts to decrease funding. Action Steps: We will support a campaign to modify the Real Estate Transfer Tax to increase funding. We will notify our elected officials of our objections if there is a proposal to decrease funding.
We support efforts of local developers to increase the supply of affordable housing in our communities. Action Steps: We will provide developers with letters of support. We will investigate additional action steps we can take as a coalition.
We support efforts to create a National Housing Trust Fund. Action Steps: We will participate in the campaign to create a Trust Fund and will meet with our elected federal officials when necessary.
We oppose efforts to decrease federal resources for affordable housing. Action Steps: We will monitor activities on a federal level and will meet with our elected officials when necessary.

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