H.O.M.E. Convenes Fix Our Homes Illinois Town Hall Event

On Saturday, October 4, H.O.M.E. convened over thirty community members and advocates at the Lincoln Library in Springfield, IL for the Fix Our Homes Illinois Town Hall — a powerful afternoon of stories, data, solidarity, and solutions. The event was covered by a local Springfield television station.

At the Town Hall, facilitators Gail Schechter of H.O.M.E. and Rev. Robin Hood of the Illinois Anti-Foreclosure Coalition and Mothers Opposed to Violence Everywhere (M.O.V.E.) generated excitement around the Senior Home Preservation Program Act, a bill that the Fix Our Homes Illinois coalition is drafting for introduction in the 2026 legislative session.

Seniors from Englewood and Springfield at the Town Hall underscored the racial inequities that serve as a backdrop for why Black older homeowners today are at the greatest disadvantage.

An 80-year-old Chicagoan, who is devoted to staying in her home, summed up what many older homeowners experience when she said: "I'm not going anywhere… It's not that I need a lot done, but the little bit I do need done is all over the place. I just want to take care of myself."

Overall, Illinois' population is aging along with the housing stock they live in. The number of households headed by someone aged 65 or older grew dramatically between 2012 and 2023 - by 31.4%, compared to 6.3% for all households. Most low-income senior homeowners live in very old homes.

Led by H.O.M.E., Fix Our Homes Illinois is determined help low-income older homeowners hold onto their homes and age safely in place. To learn more about the town hall, visit the Fix Our Homes Illinois website.