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Featured
Cycle of Risk: The Intersection of Poverty, Violence, and Trauma
March 15, 2017Chicago is currently facing a devastating surge in lethal violence in addition to staggering rates of poverty across Illinois. Policymakers and community leaders are struggling with finding short- and long-term solutions to stem the violence and allow neighborhoods to heal. In the meantime, communities are fearing for their own safety and grieving over lost parents, children, friends, and leaders every day. The stakes forgetting the solutions right could not be higher. Poverty and violence often intersect, feed one another, and share root causes. Neighborhoods with high levels of violence are also characterized by high levels of poverty, lack of adequate public services and educational opportunity, poorer health outcomes, asset and income inequality, and more. The underlying socioeconomic conditions in these neighborhoods perpetuate both violence and poverty. Furthermore, trauma can result from both violence and poverty. Unaddressed trauma worsens quality of life, makes it hard to rise out of poverty by posing barriers to success at school and work, and raises the likelihood of aggressive behavior. In this way, untreated trauma—coupled with easy gun availability and other factors—feeds the cycle of poverty and violence.
Win-Win: Equipping Housing Providers to Open Doors to Housing for People With Criminal Records
July 12, 2019In Illinois, nearly 5 million adults, 50% of the population, are estimated to have an arrest or conviction record. Housing is foundational for employment success, family stability, and overall well-being. Unfortunately, criminal history checks are a typical part of the housing application processes, and many people with records are declined housing opportunities they would otherwise be a good fit for, but for the criminal record. Our goal for Win-Win was to develop user-friendly guidance about the use of criminal records in screening and housing applicants, and to provide recommendations that housing providers can adopt and adapt, in whole or in part, to increase housing opportunities for people with criminal records.
2015 Policy Priorities
March 11, 2015Overview of the 2015 policy priorities for the policy and advocacy team at Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights. Heartland Alliance advocates for policies and programs that help end poverty and create opportunity. A strong and sustainable state budget is central to that effort. We support revenue solutions to advance a sustainable state budget, as well as policies that value work, enable Illinoisans to care for their families, and expand justice and opportunity.
Foreclosure Crisis: Policy Strategies from Illinois
November 16, 2012The housing crisis stripped many families of their wealth, especially those in communities of color. This presentation will provide an update on foreclosure legislation in Illinois.
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