Gov. Pritzker Announces $2 Million Investment in Springfield Homeless System

SPRINGFIELD – Today, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness announced $2 million in new investments for several community organizations in Springfield and the surrounding area to support local efforts to address and combat homelessness in Central Illinois. These investments from the Home Illinois grant exemplify the State’s commitment to reaching functional zero homelessness – a goal where the state prevents homelessness whenever possible and ensures that if homelessness does occur, it is brief, rare, and singular.

“Three years ago, we brought together the top housing and human services minds in the state of Illinois with a single goal in mind – an Illinois where homelessness is brief, rare, and non-reoccurring. From those conversations, we launched Home Illinois – our State’s first ever comprehensive plan to prevent and end homelessness through a unified, whole-of-government approach, and an understanding that ending homelessness requires actions as comprehensive as the issue itself,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Here in Springfield, we are meeting that charge – government partners, community organizations, everyday volunteers – standing up to ensure every Illinoisan has a safe place to rest at night.”

The $2 million investment from the State’s Home Illinois grant, housed at the Illinois Department of Human Services, will support permanent housing programs for people experiencing homelessness and local organizations including Fifth Street Renaissance, Helping Hands of Springfield, and Mercy Communities, Inc. Funding will be focused on the proven, permanent housing models of rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing.

From 2024 to 2025, homelessness decreased in over half of Illinois’s designated community areas and Sangamon County saw a 4% reduction in homelessness. These reductions are directly linked to the investments and strategies implemented in Home Illinois, and the continued investment and support will bolster the groundwork already underway. Over 11,000 formerly homeless Illinoisans are now housed in permanent housing because of Home Illinois.

“This investment shows what the Home Illinois Plan is all about: supporting communities with the resources and proven housing models that keep people safely housed. At a time when federal uncertainty threatens thousands of households nationwide, Illinois is choosing stability and evidence-based solutions,” said Christine Haley, State of Illinois Chief Homelessness Officer. “Springfield’s progress demonstrates that investing in permanent housing reduces homelessness, and this funding will help local partners continue that momentum.”

This announcement comes as the Trump Administration continues to unravel and undermine existing solutions already in place that are proven to work in combatting homelessness. Continuums of Care (CoCs) – the community areas designated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and part of the largest federal housing program across the country are responsible for local homelessness policy, planning, and coordination, yet they remain under significant distress because of reckless nationwide policy changes by the federal government.

Under proposed federal changes, the CoC program would greatly reduce funding from over 80% for permanent housing programs, to only 30%. This would cause an estimated 7,500 Illinoisans to lose their housing subsidies and the Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness, providers, and advocates anticipate an increase in unsheltered homelessness across the state because of the federal administration’s policy choices.

In November, the State of Illinois joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general and two state governors to file a lawsuit to halt HUD’s abrupt and illegal changes to the CoC program that will limit access to long-term housing and other services for tens of thousands of Americans experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. The uncertainty caused by the federal government leaves thousands of Illinois households in limbo.

“While federal shifts put permanent housing at risk across the country, Illinois is standing with partners who are driving real change. This $2 million investment strengthens the work of Springfield’s providers and reaffirms our commitment to strategies that we know reduce homelessness,” said Illinois Department of Human Services Secretary Dulce M. Quintero. “We are proud to stand with our communities as we work together to ensure people across Illinois have the housing and support they deserve.”

Home Illinois is the state’s strategic vision and plan to drive investments and policy toward preventing and ending homelessness across the state. The plan is organized around building affordable and permanent supportive housing, bolstering safety nets, securing financial stability, and closing the mortality gap between people experiencing homelessness and the general population. A foundational goal underlying all strategies is ending the racial disparity that exists in homelessness.

"With this funding, we are fulfilling our responsibility to help our neighbors stay housed and support our communities as they recover from the far-reaching effects of housing instability," said State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield). "Every family in Illinois deserves a safe, secure place to call home, and this investment is essential to helping more families find stability, hope and a path forward."

“We are deeply grateful for the strong partnership with the State of Illinois, the Office of the Governor, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and Heartland Housed. Governor Pritzker and Deputy Governor Manar have been instrumental in listening to the needs of the Springfield community and recognizing the critical gaps in funding for our unsheltered residents,” said Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher. “Their support and the State of Illinois’ investment in this work, has made a meaningful, lasting impact on our ability to provide vital assistance to those experiencing homelessness in our community.”

“As a community we are incredibly grateful to Governor Pritzker for his leadership in delivering substantial and consistent funding to strengthen our local efforts to rehouse the homeless,” said Andy Van Meter, Sangamon County Chairman.

“Home Illinois funding gives Helping Hands of Springfield a real lift. With this support, we can keep more people safe and sheltered and the money goes straight into our Supportive Housing program, where we stand by some of the most vulnerable adults in our community,” said Robert Gillespie, Executive Director, Helping Hands of Springfield. “We're grateful to the State of Illinois and Governor Pritzker for stepping up with real solutions, ones that treat people with respect, offer safety, and help folks break free from homelessness for good.”

“This announcement shows how listening, learning, and planning pays off. When communities take time to work together and plan, we can accomplish anything,” said John Stremsterfer, President and CEO, Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln. “In Springfield and Sangamon County there is a unified voice for ending homelessness that has paved the way for philanthropy and government to support direct service providers in their important work. There is more work to be done, but smart and decent people are working every day to assure there is permanent shelter for our fellow citizens. I am confident we will succeed.”

“The Home Illinois funding has been instrumental in combating family homelessness in Springfield, enabling MERCY Communities to provide housing and comprehensive case management for over 20 families with disabilities,” said Amy Voils, Executive Director of MERCY Communities. “These funds allow us to support families over time, helping them build essential life skills, pursue education and employment goals, and overcome barriers like childcare, transportation, and access to public benefits. Ultimately, this funding allows MERCY to empower clients to become self-sufficient and break the cycle of poverty and homelessness.”

“Over the past three years, partners throughout Springfield and Sangamon County have worked tirelessly to improve our system of care to address homelessness and to increase opportunities for our neighbors to thrive in stable housing,” said Josh Sabo, Executive Director of Heartland Housed. “While rates of homelessness are increasing across the nation and funding for supportive housing is more unstable than ever, Heartland Continuum of Care partners have been able to increase the number of people organizations are supporting to end their homelessness by over 300% in the last five years. We continue to dream of making homelessness rare and brief in our community and State of Illinois support is helping us progress closer to that goal each month.”

“These Home Illinois funds are truly changing the horizon of homelessness in Springfield,” said Penny Powell, Executive Director of Fifth Street Renaissance. “Governor Pritzker’s commitment to caring for communities across Illinois is evident in this investment, which strengthens our local system of care and allows organizations like Fifth Street Renaissance to move beyond crisis response and into real, lasting housing solutions. This funding restores dignity, creates stability, and ensures that individuals and families have a genuine opportunity to rebuild their lives and thrive.”

While efforts in Illinois’ capital and its surrounding area are strong, this investment will bolster the groundwork already underway. The State is proud to continue these investments for Illinoisans and for those who work tirelessly to support people experiencing homelessness.

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