Chicago Homeless, Housing First, Ending Homelessness
Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness

ADVOCACY

This section addresses these key topics:

Make Your Voice Heard: Join the Advocacy Team Today
Latest Advocacy News: Alliance Submits Comments to HUD on Homeless Definition
Chicago Alliance Advocacy Training

Make Your Voice Heard: Join the Advocacy Team Today

Do you want to be a part of a dynamic online community that is making strides to end homelessness in Chicago?  Take the first step by signing up for the Chicago Alliance's Advocacy Team today.

The Advocacy Team consists of service providers, consumers, and concerned indivuals committed to making a difference and ending homelessness in their community.  As a member of the Advocacy Team, you will receive periodic e-mail Action Alerts from the Chicago Alliance.  The Alerts will provide information about important and timely legislation or policy matters at the federal, state, or city level and urge you to take action, most likely by contacting your elected representatives.  The Advocacy Team is a true activist community -- the power of many voices will make the change we need. 

Send us one quick e-mail today and you'll be the newest member of the Advocacy Team! 

Latest Advocacy News: Alliance Submits Comments to HUD on Homeless Definition

As part of the implementation of the HEARTH (Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing) Act, HUD released the first in a series of proposed regulations on April 20, 2010.  This rule details changes to the definition of homelessness, including an expansion to those who are at risk of imminently losing their housing within 14 days (up from 7) and unaccompanied youth and homeless families who have not lived independently for 90 days or more, have experienced persistent instability as measured by three or more moves, and can be expected to continue in such status.  You can read HUD's proposed rule here

In drafting our comments to HUD, the Chicago Alliance sought feedback from the Advocacy Committee, the Service Providers Commission Executive Commission, and several constituency groups.  The lively discussions and feedback were extremely helpful to staff and we thank everyone who participated.  The Alliance submitted our comments to HUD electronically on June 14, 2010.  Comments are due by June 21, 2010 and can be submitted at www.regulations.gov.

Click here to read the Chicago Alliance's comments on the proposed homeless definition

Chicago Alliance Advocacy Training

The Chicago Alliance launched its Advocacy Team with an Advocacy Training on April 18, 2008. The Advocacy Training brought together members of the Chicago Alliance’s Consumers Commission and Service Providers Commission. Fifty-five people attended the training and learned the “how-tos” of Advocacy; how to navigate the political process; how to effectively talk with their legislators; the power of telling their story and how to do it; and what they can do in their own agencies and communities to advocate for programs, policies and funding to end homelessness.

View the Chicago Alliance Advocacy Training presentation to learn how you can become an advocate.