AGENDA and MINUTES - Pillar 2 Subcommittee meeting March 12, 2025

Commission on Poverty Elimination and Economic Security

Subcommittee on Pillar 2: Stabilize Homes and Communities

Meeting Agenda and Minutes

Wednesday, March 12, 2025, 12:30-1:30 PM

Recording

Agenda:

  1. Introductions/Welcome Roll Call (10 min)
  2. Public Comment - subject to written comment in advance (2 min)
  3. Approval of Meeting Minutes - December 12, 2024 (2 min)
  4. Special Presentation - Home IL Plan FY25-26, Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (25 min)
  5. Next Steps (5 min)
    • Next meeting - Wednesday, June 11, 2025, 12:30-1:30 PM
  6. Adjournment (2 min)

Subcommittee members in attendance:

  1. Kimberly Tate - representative of Senator Kimberly Lightford, Commission member
  2. Rev. Dwight Ford - Commission member
  3. Samantha Alloway - Commission member
  4. Marc Staley - IWGP member
  5. Dr. Janice Phillips - IWGP member
  6. Erik Turner - Representing Emily Mueller, IHDA, IWGP member
  7. Hope Babowice - public member
  8. Christine Haley - IDHS-SME
  9. Amanda Lake - IDHS-SME
  10. Kevin Brown - Representing Quiwana Bell, OFVP, IDHS-SME
  11. Darius McKinney - Representing Ryan Rollinson, DMH, IDHS-SME

Subcommittee members absent:

  1. Senator Dale Fowler - Subcommittee chairman; Commission member
  2. Juan Calderon - Commission member
  3. Hon. Kevin Lee - Commission member
  4. Elizabeth Vogt - IWGP member
  5. Keesha Reedus - public member
  6. Courtney Groves - public member
  7. Kimberly Mercer-Schleider - public member
  8. Felicia Gray - IDHS-SME
  9. Quiwana Bell - IDHS-SME
  10. Ryan Rollinson - IDHS-SME

Guests:

  1. Megan Drilling - Poor People's Campaign of Illinois
  2. LaTonya Butts - IOPEH

Administrator: Priya Khatkhate, IDHS-Chief Policy Officer

Facilitators:

  1. Kaitlin Devaney - Institute of Research on Race and Public Policy (IRRPP)
  2. Nancy Toure - IRRPP

Minutes:

  1. Introductions/Welcome Roll Call
  2. Public Comment - subject to written comment in advance; none received.
  3. Approval of Meeting Minutes - December 12, 2024; postponed due to lack of quorum.
  4. Special Presentation - Home IL Plan FY25-26, Christine Haley, Chief-Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (IOPEH)
    • First state plan, Home Illinois, was created in 2022 and released in 2023 with a $200 million investment.
    • All the work on creating Home Illinois was codified into law so it will not go away even if the administration changed.
    • Illinois has had significant increases in rent since the pandemic, up to 40% increase in rent. Affordability of housing is what causes homelessness in addition to not having savings to be able to withstand a housing crisis.
    • There has also been a significant increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness; part of the large increase is related to the new arrivals.
    • The number of people living with disability, who have had longer period of homelessness or who have been cycling in and out of being housed and unhoused is anticipated to be even higher even with strong investments.
    • The largest increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness is from Chicago (207%) primarily associated with the new arrivals. Other areas also saw large increases including Waukegan, Bloomington, quad city area but do not involve new arrivals. 16 out of 19 Continuums of care also saw a single year increase of 40%.
    • Homelessness rates in the coasts are still higher than the rates at the Midwest primarily because housing markets in the Midwest are not as high in the coasts.
    • Mental illness is not a systemic barrier. The systemic barriers in homelessness are really related to housing costs which means that homelessness is a solvable problem.
    • If the rate of homelessness for black communities decreased to the rates of white homelessness, then homelessness could be ended which is why racial equity is at the core of IOPEH's work.
    • Key findings from IDPH's Morbidity and Mortality Report released last year also established the baseline to understand the health needs of people experiencing homelessness.
    • People experiencing homelessness die 18 years earlier than the general population, they are 3x more likely to die from substance use disorder, 38 times more likely to die from cold exposure and 3x more likely to die from homicide.
    • A study on activities through Medicaid billings by the University of Illinois at CPS showed that there were over 15,000 visits for suicide attempts and $16 billion in Medicaid billings over a 5-year period from people experiencing homelessness.
    • IOPEH partners with a number of research institutions to get more data and make data driven decisions on where Home Illinois investments should be made.
    • Looking from FY23 before Home Illinois started to FY25, there is a 154% increase in general revenue funding for people experiencing homelessness (not including new arrivals).
    • Within the FY25 Home Illinois budget, about $100 million was allocated for prevention activities, $60 million to support shelter infrastructure, $52 million to support the new arrival work, about $48 million for housing related activities, $7 million for technical assistance and training and systems improvement work, about $21 million for services and $1.75 million for public engagement work.
    • The Home Illinois Plan for FY25-26 is made up of more than 120 activities that state agencies commit to implement over the two-year period. Some of the state agencies involved are IHDA, IDJJ, DCFS, IDHS, and DCEO.
    • Home Illinois will have its annual conference on June 9th and 10th at Crowne Plaza, Rosemont, IL. Registration is at 2025 Home Illinois Summit Tickets, Mon, Jun 9, 2025 at 9:00 AM | Eventbrite
  5. Discussion/Questions
    • Rev. Ford asked if there are any organizing or campaigning around the six cities (with increased homelessness rates) to see what strengthening can be done amid political issues both at the local and national levels.
    • IOPEH is aware of the issues both at the national and local levels and have actively spoken out against.
    • IOPEH can work with organizations and offer support to local municipalities about options other than criminalizing homelessness. IOPEH together with IDHR will be releasing a letter to municipalities about what it looks like not to criminalize homelessness.
    • IOPEH is also working with the Community Advisory Council on Homelessness to create a messaging campaign on the true root causes of homelessness and having materials that can be amended by local communities so people know where to go for help.
    • IOPEH is also working closely with two national non-profits in providing technical assistance and support around ending homelessness for different populations.
  6. Next Steps
    1. Meeting minutes for December 12, 2024 will be acted on the next meeting due to lack of quorum.
    2. Next meeting - Wednesday, June 11, 2025, 12:30-1:30 PM
  7. Adjournment - Rev. Ford moved to adjourn the meeting seconded by Dir. Marc Staley. The group unanimously agreed to adjourn the meeting at 1:20 PM.