CHICAGO, 1 de agosto de 2023 – Como resultado de la pandemia y la reciente inflación en aumento, la crisis de vivienda asequible está afectando a más gente por todo el país, especialmente a las personas mayores de 65 años. Este segmento demográfico se encuentra vulnerable de una forma significativa, con más de 15 millones de personas mayores que se enfrentan a la inseguridad económica. El Congreso ha abordado este problema a nivel nacional, dedicando 500 millones de dólares de la Ley de Respuesta a la Crisis de Vivienda de 2023 a la vivienda de apoyo para personas mayores. Mientras tanto, Spanish Coalition for Housing (SCH), una agencia de asesoría para la vivienda cuya sede está en Chicago, está combatiendo esta crisis a nivel local. Esta organización está concientizando a la población acerca del incremento del número de personas mayores que se están quedando sin hogar y trabajando para poner en contacto a personas mayores con recursos de apoyo que crean estabilidad en la vivienda.

Además de enfrentar los problemas relacionados con la vivienda mencionados anteriormente, las personas mayores enfrentan ingresos bajos y fijos, ya sea a través del retiro o de trabajos de medio tiempo o por hora; y tienen una mayor probabilidad de experimentar costos relacionados con la salud más altos. SCH reconoce estas barreras y trabaja con las personas mayores de su comunidad para ayudarles a acceder a viviendas asequibles a través de la Autoridad de la Vivienda de Chicago (CHA, por sus siglas en inglés). CHA tiene 43 propiedades que han sido adaptadas para satisfacer las necesidades de los residentes de edad avanzada, como cocinas y baños renovados y sistemas mejorados de calefacción y aire acondicionado.

“A través de la asociación de la Alianza Comunitaria con la Autoridad de la Vivienda de Chicago, podemos ayudar a las personas mayores a acceder a viviendas que satisfacen sus necesidades tanto económicas como físicas. También ofrecemos talleres educativos gratuitos para personas mayores y cuidadores que están interesados en obtener más información acerca de este valioso recurso”, señaló Joseph López, Director Ejecutivo de Spanish Coalition for Housing. “Además, como defensores de las personas mayores, nos hemos unido al Centro Nacional para Replantear el Envejecimiento para desmantelar de una manera más activa las barreras invisibles de los recursos esenciales de vivienda relacionadas con la discriminación por edad”, agregó.

SCH está tomando las medidas necesarias para combatir las barreras creadas por la discriminación por edad; un ejemplo de su enfoque es el uso de un lenguaje inclusivo tanto internamente como de forma externa. Por ejemplo, en inglés, el nombre de su taller de vivienda asequible para personas mayores cambió de “Affordable Housing for Seniors” a “Affordable Housing for Older Adults”, con lo que SCH intenta disminuir el estigma asociado con el hecho de necesitar o buscar un recurso de apoyo crucial y asequible.

Para obtener más información acerca de los servicios gratuitos que ofrece SCH o para inscribirse en un taller gratuito, favor de visitar www.cha-sc4housing.org/cha.

Spanish Coalition Continues to Narrow the Homeownership Gap in Chicago
Despite soaring rental prices, diminishing COVID-19 housing resources and other barriers that minorities continue to face when it comes to finding housing, Latino homeownership in the U.S. is on the rise and is expected to increase by 70 percent over the next two decades. Helping make this statistic a reality is Spanish Coalition for Housing (SCH), a local housing counseling agency that works to narrow the homeownership gap here in Chicago by helping renters with the transition to first-time homeowners.

SCH works with and prepares historically marginalized communities to access the resources needed to reach their housing goals – whether their goal is to own or rent. The housing counseling agency provides the community with free educational services,  counseling and hands-on workshops, including the affordable housing workshops as a part of the Chicago Housing Authority’s (CHA) Community Alliance.

“For the past 50 years, our goal at Spanish Coalition for Housing is to remove barriers that historically underserved populations have faced. We help Chicagoans who are renting access affordable housing to become more financially independent with the hopes they can save and become first-time homeowners,” said Joseph Lopez, Executive Director of SCH. “In 2022, we were able to help 68 households to purchase and become first-time homeowners and over 1,100 households access affordable housing even as rental prices remain high on the other side of the pandemic. We’ve seen how the pandemic has prolonged housing inequity among our Latino and Black communities, and we want to help break that cycle and create opportunities for generational wealth through affordable and sustainable housing and homeownership.”

While Latino homeownership is expected to rise, Black homeownership rates are lower than previous generations. SCH is committed to supporting all Chicagoans to achieve their homeownership goals and their programs are available to anybody that needs them.

Furthermore, through its partnership with the CHA Community Alliance, SCH has been able to deepen its roots within Chicago’s communities, increase awareness of SCH and CHA resources and programs and most importantly be more financially independent.

To learn more about the free services offered by SCH or register for a free workshop, visit www.sc4housing.org/cha.

SCH staff invites anyone interested in their services or anyone who has questions about available home buying or rental resources to email (help@sc4housing.org) or call for dedicated assistance (North Region: 773-342-7575; Southeast Region: 773-933-7575; Southwest Region: 312-850-2660).

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Spanish Coalition sigue reduciendo la brecha existente en la propiedad de vivienda de Chicago
A pesar de los altos costos de las rentas, la reducción de recursos de apoyo para la vivienda en respuesta al COVID-19 y otros obstáculos que siguen enfrentando las minorías al buscar vivienda, la propiedad de vivienda por parte de los latinos en Estados Unidos está aumentando y se espera que incremente un 70 por ciento en las próximas dos décadas. Ayudar a hacer realidad esta estadística es uno de los objetivos de Spanish Coalition for Housing (SCH), una agencia local de asesoría para la vivienda que se dedica a reducir la brecha existente en la propiedad de vivienda en Chicago, a través del apoyo a quienes están rentando en su transición hacia ser propietarios de vivienda por primera vez.

SCH trabaja con comunidades que históricamente han sido marginadas y las prepara para acceder a los recursos de apoyo necesarios para alcanzar sus metas de vivienda, ya sea de renta o de propiedad. Esta agencia de asesoría para la vivienda brinda a la comunidad servicios educativos, asesoría y talleres prácticos gratuitos, incluyendo talleres sobre vivienda asequible, como parte de la Alianza Comunitaria de la Autoridad de la Vivienda de Chicago (CHA, por sus siglas en inglés).

“Durante los últimos 50 años, nuestra meta en Spanish Coalition for Housing ha sido eliminar las barreras que han enfrentado las poblaciones históricamente marginadas. Ayudamos a los habitantes de Chicago que están rentando a que tengan acceso a viviendas asequibles para volverse más independientes económicamente, con la esperanza de poder ahorrar y convertirse en dueños de una vivienda por primera vez”, señaló Joseph López, Director Ejecutivo de SCH. “En 2022, pudimos ayudar a 68 familias a adquirir una vivienda y convertirse en propietarios por primera vez; y a más de 1,100 familias a que tuvieran acceso a una vivienda asequible, aun cuando las rentas siguen estando altas después de la pandemia. Hemos visto cómo la pandemia ha prolongado la inequidad en la vivienda en nuestras comunidades latinas y afroamericanas y queremos ayudar a romper ese ciclo y crear oportunidades para la riqueza generacional a través de viviendas y de la propiedad de viviendas asequibles y sustentables”.

Mientras que se espera que la propiedad de vivienda por parte de los latinos aumente, las tasas de propietarios de vivienda afroamericanos son más bajas que en generaciones anteriores. SCH tiene el compromiso de apoyar a todos los habitantes de Chicago a que logren sus metas de propiedad de vivienda; y sus programas están disponibles para cualquier persona que los necesite.

Además, a través de su colaboración con la Alianza Comunitaria de la CHA, SCH ha podido lograr un mayor arraigo en las comunidades de Chicago, aumentar el conocimiento sobre los recursos y programas de SCH y la CHA, y, sobre todo, ser más independientes económicamente.

Para obtener más información acerca de los servicios gratuitos que ofrece SCH o para inscribirse en un taller gratuito, favor de visitar www.sc4housing.org/cha. 

El personal de SCH invita a todas las personas interesadas en sus servicios o que tengan cualquier duda acerca de los recursos de apoyo disponibles sobre la compra o renta de casas, a que envíen un correo electrónico (help@sch4housing.org) o llamen para recibir atención personalizada (región norte: 773-342-7575; región sureste: 773-933-7575; región suroeste: 312-850-2660).

 The Agency Connected Thousands of Chicagoans to Housing Resources and Funds in 2021, Plans for 2022

 CHICAGO – Led by the belief that housing is a human right, Spanish Coalition for Housing (SCH) has been in overdrive since 2020 to support low-to-moderate income families in the Chicagoland area access vital resources to support them during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the most recent rental assistance application period for Chicago having passed and federal assistance funds running low, SCH is preparing to support Chicagoans for the day when COVID-19 relief funding comes to an end, as many will face uncertainties in regards to housing and utility payments.

Across the country, millions of people face limited or no access to affordable and stable housing, and the pandemic disproportionately added a hardship to our minority communities as it relates to housing. According to a report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Black and Hispanic households were more than twice as likely to report being behind on their payments than white households.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have helped thousands of families, and in 2021 alone, we assisted more than 5,600 households through our services. As we face the uncertainty of future COVID relief funding, we recognize that the need for resources will not go away, even if the funding does,” said Joseph Lopez, Executive Director of Spanish Coalition for Housing. “We are preparing for that day and trying to connect as many people as possible to resources now through our programs, such as our Community Alliance workshops.”

Through a partnership with the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) Community Alliance Program, SCH actively engages with diverse communities across Chicago to bring awareness of valuable resources and housing programs through hands-on educational workshops supported with one-on-one counseling. The program supports individuals in need of affordable housing for individuals, families and seniors, as well as landlords. Workshops are free, conducted in English and Spanish and offered in person or virtually.

To learn more about and register for a free Community Alliance workshop, visit www.cha-sc4housing.org.

SCH staff members invite anyone interested in their services or that has questions about available resources to email (help@sch4housing.org) or call for dedicated assistance (North Region: 773-342-7575; Southeast Region: 773-933-7575; Southwest Region: 312-850-2660)

Latin United Community Housing Association (LUCHA) Provides In-Language, In-Culture Support

CHICAGO – LUCHA, a Chicago-based, HUD-approved housing counseling agency and community housing development organization, is taking active steps in supporting Chicago’s at-risk immigrant population by connecting immigrants and families with mixed-immigration status to Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) Fair Housing Programs. The housing advocacy organization provides in-language, in-culture support through its various resources, such as its  CHA Community Alliance Program workshops.

Illinois houses an estimated 787,000 undocumented immigrants and their US-born children, according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform. For these mixed-immigration households, navigating the maze of government and regulatory red-tape can be complicated, especially when culture and language barriers are added to the mix. This leaves many immigrants and families with mixed-immigration status with limited access to affordable housing.

“We’ve seen a significant gap in the communities we serve accessing the multitude of resources offered by the CHA, as well as very limited information available regarding guidelines for families with mixed-immigration status to access such resources,” said Lissette Castañeda, Executive Director at LUCHA. “In response to that need, we’ve partnered with the CHA to host a series of workshops aimed to help guide Chicago families, especially those of mixed-immigration status, through the application and qualification process for accessing these various resources, including affordable housing.”

Through the program, LUCHA currently hosts workshops for the communities of Albany Park, Armour Square, Humboldt Park, Jefferson Park, Logan Square, and Rogers Park. The workshops are free and hosted virtually in both English and Spanish. Multiple dates are offered, and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Currently, workshops being offered include:

• Affordable Housing
• Affordable Senior Housing
• Housing Waitlist & Admissions

LUCHA serves all of Chicago’s diverse and immigrant communities and encourages anyone who may be experiencing difficulties accessing housing resources, is facing the risk of being pushed out of their neighborhood due to gentrification or is experiencing conflict with their landlord to visit LUCHA.org to learn about all the available resources including hands-on counseling by a staff member.

For more information about LUCHA and/or to register for a Community Alliance Program workshop, please visit lucha.org/cha-community-alliance.

On Tuesday, October 16th, join LUCHA for a community-wide celebration to honor our 36th birthday during Affordable Housing Month! Come to Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center to celebrate LUCHA’s achievements over the past 36 years as we rededicate ourselves to creating and preserving affordable housing across the northwest side of Chicago. Bring your family, friends, neighbors and colleagues – we’ll have tacos, live entertainment, games, a raffle and more for all to enjoy!

Tierra Linda is LUCHA’s first sustainability-oriented development, bridging affordable housing with green technology for low-income residents of the City of Chicago. Featuring the first affordable, multi-family Passive House in the state, Tierra Linda is a testament to the fact that everyone deserves access to high quality housing and a healthy space to live.

On Thursday, September 27th, LUCHA is hosting a free community celebration to honor Tierra Linda! Join us at Simons Park, across the street from the Passive House, for food, fun + games, live entertainment, community-building, and more! All are welcome!

To learn more about Tierra Linda, visit our website.

These workshops, with specialized topics each month, will assist recent first-time homebuyers with the transition process from renter to home owner. There is so much involved with being a home owner and doing so effectively to maintain and improve upon the investment requires first-hand knowledge about a variety of topics. Our Housing Counselors will teach 2 hour workshops that cover everything from spring cleaning to home repairs.

These workshops, with specialized topics each month, will assist recent first-time homebuyers with the transition process from renter to home owner. There is so much involved with being a home owner and doing so effectively to maintain and improve upon the investment requires first-hand knowledge about a variety of topics. Our Housing Counselors will teach 2 hour workshops that cover everything from spring cleaning to home repairs.

These workshops, with specialized topics each month, will assist recent first-time homebuyers with the transition process from renter to home owner. There is so much involved with being a home owner and doing so effectively to maintain and improve upon the investment requires first-hand knowledge about a variety of topics. Our Housing Counselors will teach 2 hour workshops that cover everything from spring cleaning to home repairs.

These workshops, with specialized topics each month, will assist recent first-time homebuyers with the transition process from renter to home owner. There is so much involved with being a home owner and doing so effectively to maintain and improve upon the investment requires first-hand knowledge about a variety of topics. Our Housing Counselors will teach 2 hour workshops that cover everything from spring cleaning to home repairs.