Stop more cuts to homeless prevention grants

We are concerned that Gov. Quinn’s office may eliminate the Illinois Homeless Prevention Program in his upcoming FY 2013 budget proposal.

The Homeless Prevention Program provides direct assistance to families at high risk of eviction, foreclosure or homelessness due to short-term financial problems. It provides a household with a one-time rental assistance grant, utility assistance grant, and supportive services.

Over the course of 11 years, the program has helped 96,231 Illinois households avoid homelessness. The average grant in FY 2010 was $916, and 88% of those who were helped report that they remained housed at least four months after getting the one-time grant.

Previous state budget cutbacks have nearly decimated the program, leaving just $1.5 million available this year – $9.5 million (87%) less than was funded in FY 2008. Federal stimulus funds also dedicated to prevention have run out at more than half the agencies that administer the grants across Illinois. With the governor’s budget office announcing this week that more deep cutbacks are looming for human services, this program will likely be cut.

Gov. Quinn will decide on his budget proposal by the middle of January.

Please call or email Gov. Quinn and tell him: “Stop cuts to the Homeless Prevention Program, and partially restore funding to $5 million. With federal funding gone, and the winter here, struggling families cannot afford to end up on the streets.”

To phone Gov. Quinn’s Chicago office: (312) 814-2121

To email Gov. Quinn please click the blue link here