Coordinated Housing Advocacy Brings Stability to Low-Income Individuals

What is coordinated housing advocacy?
Coordinated housing advocacy brings together housing advocates from agencies across the city to share resources and best practices in order to provide the highest-quality services to clients in need of housing assistance. Rather than maintaining separate lists of available housing units, a coordinated system allows for advocates to update one another on available stock via one comprehensive housing inventory list.

What is AFC’s role in coordinated housing advocacy?
Since 1999, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) has overseen the coordinated housing advocacy system. AFC trains all new housing advocates, holds monthly team meetings that foster greater collaboration and communication among advocates, and provides technical assistance to housing agencies and advocates.

What's the difference between a case manager and a housing advocate?
The distinction between Housing Advocates and HIV case managers is unique to the Chicago area. While Case Managers are focused on referrals to medical services, Housing Advocates are focused on keeping clients housed with rental assistance payments.

What services do housing advocates provide clients?
Housing advocates work on the front-line to assist clients who are receiving either Short Term (HAP) or Long Term rental assistance. In order to remain eligible for these types of rental assistance the clients must work closely with the Housing Advocates to document that they are continuing to meet all of the eligibility criteria. The Housing Advocates ensure that the clients are maintaining incomes higher than their rent, that they have a current and valid written lease agreement with their landlord and that they are in compliance with all of the other policies and procedures.

Who are the partners within the coordinated housing advocacy system?
Housing advocates from several community-based HIV/AIDS service organizations, including AGAPE Missions Inc, BEHIV, Heartland Human Care Services, New Phoenix Assistance Center, Pilsen Wellness Center, and Vital Bridges, have served as the point of contact for people living with HIV/AIDS who need assistance with maintaining appropriate, affordable, housing.

Where can I find the comprehensive housing inventory list?
AFC administers an online housing directory called Direct2Housing that is a free online tool for the entire community. Supportive Housing programs can register for a FREE username and password that will allow them to enter their program information. The general public can go to any computer with internet and do a FREE search for supportive housing options at the main page. Direct2Housing empowers everyone in the community who can access a computer with internet to have the contact information, application process and eligibility criteria for hundreds of supportive housing options in the Metro Chicago area.

More information: For information on Housing Advocacy and Direct2Housing, please contact Ric Martel at (312) 334-0949.

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