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Housing Action Alert
Increase State Funding for Supportive Housing Services
Catholic Social Teaching challenges us to measure our society by how well the most vulnerable are faring. Supportive housing is affordable housing enriched with supportive services. Supportive housing serves the state’s most vulnerable citizens, including people with mental illness, people who have been homeless, and people with chronic, debilitating illness.
Problem: There is a lack of funding for services in supportive housing. The funding we are asking for will allow services to be provided in 38 supportive housing projects in 17 counties across the state. These 38 projects include 921 units (187 family units and 734 single units).
Solution : For its residents, supportive housing ends the expensive cycle of homelessness, as well as the negative effects of homelessness on children’s health and educational achievement. For people with mental illness, supportive housing gives both independence and support. For people with substance abuse problems, supportive housing helps them stay clean and sober. Supportive housing cuts recidivism for the formerly incarcerated from the Illinois average of 55% to 20%.
Action Needed: Contact Governor Blagojevich and ask him to include an increase of $4.2 million in the fiscal year 2007 state budget for supportive housing services. A sample letter is included below or you may access an email letter at www.housingmatters.net/showalert.asp?aaid+1686. (Sign up required at site)
Governor Blagojevich's budget proposal will be released on February 15. Please act by February 14.
Sample Letter
Dear Governor,
With this letter, I respectfully request that you include an additional $4.2 million in the FY 2007 Illinois Budget for supportive housing services.
This increase will give over 1,300 men, women, and children a decent, affordable home with the support services that will allow them to stay in that home and take positive next steps in their lives. This funding will cover 921 units of supportive housing across the state.
Supportive housing is affordable housing enriched with supportive services. Supportive housing serves the state’s most vulnerable citizens, including people with mental illness, people who have been homeless, and people with chronic, debilitating illness.
This funding will leverage over $40 million of federal funding and it will save the state money. Supportive housing costs less to the state than prisons, Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMDs), or state mental hospitals.
Thank you so very much!
Your name and address here
Send correspondence for Governor Blagojevich, to http://www.illinois.gov/gov/contactthegovernor.cfm or to the Office of the Governor, 207 State House, Springfield, IL 62706; (217) 782-0244 or (312) 814-2121 [TTY (888) 261-3336].
Action Alert Information from HousingMatters.net
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