Home Repair Infrastructure Push Moves Ahead in 2025
Home repair infrastructure shapes the future of entire neighborhoods. Consultant Karen Black made that point at a national symposium on home repair in March. The event took place at the Federal Home Loan Bank of St. Louis.
"Either we pony up and invest in this housing stock so that we can keep it, or we lose it, and then the issue is not how many new units can we add each year; it's how many neighborhoods do we lose. Who gets to own a home in this country, that American Dream? Is it only people who make over $200,000 or $300,000 a year? We have this moment in time to preserve something incredibly important to this nation."
Investing in our housing stock is really about investing in our people.
Two years after coming together, our coalition has become a force for low-income senior homeowners. We're working toward a statewide, coordinated clearinghouse. It would make it easy for older people to get the repairs they need to keep their homes safe.
Building Home Repair Infrastructure, One Committee at a Time
The coalition held its first gathering of 2025 over Zoom on April 10. Thirty-two people joined with enthusiasm. Most were staff of nonprofit or government agencies that serve or advocate for older people. Some provide direct home repair services, like Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for the Elderly (H.O.M.E.), Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago, and Chicagoland Habitat for Humanity.
The gathering had two goals. First, update supporters on the campaign's activities. Second, spark interest in joining one of three working committees:
Data Committee: Co-led by Sarah Brachle Wagner of Chicagoland Habitat for Humanity and Geoff Smith of the DePaul Institute for Housing Studies. This committee gathers information critical to a meaningful home repair infrastructure. That includes where seniors have the greatest unmet needs, how many need help, the scope of repairs, and costs.
Policy Committee: Co-led by Gail Schechter of H.O.M.E. and Kimberly Chase Harding of Chicagoland Habitat for Humanity. This committee is developing elements of a new bill.
Outreach Committee: Co-led by Rev. Robin Hood of Mothers Opposed to Violence Everywhere (M.O.V.E.) and Gail Schechter of H.O.M.E. This committee organizes and educates older people throughout the state.
Want to join a committee? Reach out to any of the co-chairs or Foluke Akanni of Housing Action Illinois through our Contact page.
Lessons From HB 5506 Shape the Next Bill
The coalition gained real traction in the legislature in 2024. State Rep. Kevin Olickal sponsored HB 5506, the Senior Home Preservation Program Act. The bill received a hearing in the House Human Services Committee and earned unanimous bipartisan support.
It didn't move forward because it needed more detail. The campaign is fleshing it out this year to introduce a strong bill in 2026.
Pennsylvania's Whole-Home Repairs Act inspires the coalition's approach. The coalition also wants a new Illinois bill to include a workforce training component for home repair professionals.
Momentum is building nationally, too. A bipartisan federal Whole-Home Repairs Act of 2025 has been introduced in the U.S. Senate.
New Data Shows the Need for Home Repair Infrastructure
Geoff Smith also presented a preliminary study prepared for the coalition, “Assessing Home Improvement Needs for Illinois' Older Homeowners”. It found that more than 100,000 older Illinoisans could benefit from a Senior Home Preservation Program. These homeowners own and live in one- to four-unit properties. The chart below shows the five largest metropolitan areas in Illinois alone.
The data revealed more:
53% of older homeowners in Illinois live on incomes below 80% of the area median
Black and Latino older homeowners face disproportionately higher rates
Twice as many older low-income homeowners have lived at least ten years in pre-World War II homes, compared to all age groups (over 10% versus 5%)
These numbers point to an aging population living in aging homes.
Why Home Repair Infrastructure Needs Coordination
The April gathering and a follow-up Steering Committee meeting sparked lively discussion. One key question: what repairs and modifications should a Senior Home Preservation Program cover? That includes modifications for people with disabilities.
The coalition decided a full scope is essential. Making a home habitable requires both interior and exterior work, including roofs. The coalition will also explore creating "tiers" of repairs.
Coordination matters just as much as new legislation. Illinois has multiple, often duplicative home repair programs spread across different state agencies. Meanwhile, some parts of the state struggle with the basics. Finding contractors willing to do the work can be a challenge. The coalition is reaching out to state agencies to convene around coordination, if not consolidation.
A Growing Network of Coalition Partners
Thank you to Ali Medina and Illinois Aging Together, and to Pat McGhee of the Chicago Neighborhood Recovery Program. They hosted a presentation about the coalition for their members.
Gail Schechter of H.O.M.E. leads this work on behalf of the coalition's Steering Committee. The committee also includes:
Sarah Wagner, Chicagoland Habitat for Humanity
Kimberly Chase Harding, Chicagoland Habitat for Humanity
Bernice Frazier, Community Advisory Council, H.O.M.E.
Geoff Smith, DePaul Institute for Housing Studies
Foluke Akanni, Housing Action Illinois
Rev. Robin Hood, Illinois Anti-Foreclosure Coalition
Princess Shaw, Light Up Lawndale
Danielle Stanley, NHS Chicago
Sarah Brune, NHS Chicago
Paula Bush, North West Housing Partnership
Michelle Dyder, Project Now
Kris Downey, Project Now
Sonseriya Williams, Teamwork Englewood
Robin Bartram, University of Chicago
How to Help Move Home Repair Infrastructure Forward
The next step is simple: Keep moving forward.
Encourage colleagues and older people you work with to join a committee.
Invite us to speak to your coalition.
Every new voice brings Illinois closer to a coordinated system that keeps seniors safe at home. Onward! To get involved and stay informed, join the Fix Our Homes Illinois Coalition.