Heartland Housing develops and manages sustainable, innovative and high-quality affordable housing.

We build communities.  We apply what we learn to identify emerging housing needs and meet them.   We help create life-changing opportunities for our residents, and we educate policymakers and civic leaders. 

We believe that safe, affordable housing makes a difference in people’s lives.

We are proud of our continuing leadership in developing permanent supportive housing: housing with supportive services for those that need those services to stay housed, and for whom stable housing is a critical first step towards self-sufficiency.  From this beginning 25 years ago, our work has expanded to address many types of affordable housing.  We seek opportunities to work with communities to create housing that meets their needs. 

Meeting a Critical Need

Safe, decent and affordable housing is key to a person’s economic security.  Housing instability can catalyze poverty and homelessness.  This is a real problem in our communities.  In Illinois, there are only 59 affordable rental units for every 100 low-income renter households.

A household is “rent-burdened” if it must spend more than 30% of its income on housing.  Nearly half of all renters in Chicago were considered rent burdened in 2012; more than a quarter were severely rent-burdened, paying more than 50% of their income in rent.

Research continues to show that quality housing leads to positive outcomes on public health, economic independence, neighborhood vitality, and educational outcomes.

Heartland Alliance’s Social IMPACT Research Center also has more information on poverty in Illinois. 

What is "Affordable Housing"?

Affordable and permanent supportive housing communities are privately-owned developments which, in exchange for government financing and/or operating subsidies, offer below-market rents to low-income tenants.

Permanent supportive housing properties combine affordable housing with onsite social service provision for residents.  They often offer lower rents and serve a lower-income, higher-need population than affordable housing.