Illinois Housing Development Authority

Small-dollar mortgages can open doors in a big way.

IHDA's Access Plus Financing Initiative has been named a 2026 Ivory Prize runner-up in the Finance Category by Ivory Innovations.

Access Plus was created to help address a real barrier in homeownership: small-dollar mortgages can be harder for lenders to originate, even when they could help buyers access more affordable homes.

By helping offset lender origination costs, Access Plus supports more small-dollar mortgage lending and expands homeownership opportunities for low-income families and underserved borrowers across Illinois.

We're honored by this national recognition and proud to continue supporting more pathways to homeownership in Illinois.

Learn more about the Ivory Prize https://ow.ly/bj9K50Z4WFc.
Explore IHDA Mortgage programs https://ow.ly/4lMp50Z4WFa.

Southbridge Phase I: built, occupied, and part of the neighborhood.

Located on Chicago's Near South Side at the center of the former Harold Ickes Homes site, Southbridge Phase I brought two six-story mixed-income buildings to the community, creating 206 homes—including 94 affordable units.

Since opening in 2021, the development has welcomed residents and businesses, adding new housing options and storefronts to a site with an ongoing redevelopment story.

Housing + Support = Stability.

That's the idea behind permanent supportive housing. IHDA's latest Permanent Supportive Funding round will support six developments across Illinois — expanding access to housing that meets people where they are.

Read more about the new funding announcement: https://ow.ly/11CQ50Z2pcO

Join us for our upcoming Illinois Housing Blueprint Community Session in Moline this Thursday! Your voice helps shape the future of housing in Illinois, and we want to hear from you.

Register here: https://ilhousingblueprint.org/community-sessions/

With Access Home, IHDA is helping remove financial barriers so more people can put down roots in the communities they love. Discover how the program supports first‑time buyers ready for their next chapter.

More than 1,500 first-time homebuyers benefit from state’s ‘Access Home’ program More than 1,500 Illinois first-time buyers received housing aid through a new state down payment program.

Building affordable housing also means building the next generation of developers.

We're proud to see the Next Gen Program recognized in Tax Credit Advisor. Led by LISC Chicago and funded by IHDA. the program supports emerging developers through mentorship, training, and real-world experience while helping create more pathways into the affordable housing industry.

Read more: https://www.taxcreditadvisor.com/articles/affordable-housing-nurturing-next-great-generation/

If apartment hunting in Illinois has you feeling like 😵‍💫, start here instead. ILhousingsearch.org.

Find listings, search tools, and renter resources all in one place.