IHDA Loan Officer of the Month
LoanOfficer
IHDA's Homeownership Department is pleased to name John Cook, Mortgage Loan Originator with American Bank and Trust in Davenport as its "Loan Officer of the Month." John has been assisting customers in the Quad Cities and beyond with their home lending needs for more than 25 years, connecting first-time and repeat buyers, homeowners looking to refinance and everyone in between with the financial solutions that meet their unique needs. With the help of IHDA's @HomeIllinois program, John consistently achieves top level loan production at the regional and state levels, and was even named the first Iowa Certified Mortgage Professional in the Quad Cities. Thanks for your hard work, John!
IHDA Awards & Recognition
AtHome
Lenders and Realtors - IHDA would like to share the success stories of your new homeowners throughout the state. Send us a photo of your new homeowner, either at their new home or with their lender or Realtor, and we'll feature them on IHDA's Facebook page.

Send your photos to IHDA's Communications team and we'll get them posted!
IHDA Upcoming Dates
UpcomingDates
Round I 2016 LIHTC Applications Due
February 29, 2016

March 14, 2016

March 29-30, 2016
Hyatt Regency Chicago
151 E. Upper Wacker Dr.
Chicago, IL 60611

April 15, 2016
National Public Radio Host Peter Sagal to be Keynote Speaker at the 2016 Illinois Governor's Conference on Affordable Housing
 Conference
IHDA and the Illinois Housing Council are thrilled to announce Peter Sagal as keynote speaker for this year's conference on Tuesday, March 29. Host of National Public Radio's award-winning "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!", Sagal brings a lighthearted approach to current events each week on 450 public radio stations nationwide. You won't want to miss what is sure to be an entertaining and thoughtful discussion with this celebrated humorist.

Register today to join the state's top developers, policymakers and industry leaders at the 2016 Illinois Governor's Conference on Affordable Housing on March 29 and 30 in Chicago!
Deadline Extended for the 2016 Illinois Housing Champion Awards
 Champions
IHDA Awards & RecognitionThere's still time to nominate your favorite affordable housing developments, programs and initiatives for the 2016 Illinois Housing Champion Awards. The deadline for nominations has been extended to Thursday, February 18 at 5 p.m. Celebrate innovation in affordable housing and submit your choice today.

The annual awards recognize the resourcefulness and leadership of the state's affordable housing partners working on effective solutions that best address Illinois' housing needs. Winners will be honored at an awards ceremony during the Governor's Conference on Tuesday, March 29 and will be invited to discuss their project or program at a special panel on Wednesday, March 30. 

Visit www.ilgovernorsconference.org for nomination forms and more details. Please direct any questions about the awards to wpluta@ihda.org.
Expand Mortgage Access and Boost Your Business with IHDA's Down Payment Assistance
 AtHomeIllinois
IHDA Program NewsA recently released analysis from the Urban Institute found that excessively tight credit standards have left a considerable number of aspiring homeowners underserved. With more than 5 million creditworthy borrowers unable to take out a mortgage from 2009 to 2014, the authors called for increased efforts to provide flexibility for lenders and sustainable homeownership opportunities for buyers. 

For more than 30 years, IHDA has worked with lenders and Realtors to serve qualified buyers who may have difficulty getting approved for a traditional home loan. The 1stHomeIllinois and @HomeIllinois programs provide a combination of down payment assistance, tax incentives and financial counseling that not only helps sidelined buyers get into their new homes, but understand what it takes financially to stay there. Together, these resources create new business opportunities for lenders and Realtors, helping them expand access to credit with the flexibility they need to serve today's market, all without compromising their buyer's long-term success.

Check out the requirements for IHDA's homebuyer programs to see how you can help more buyers become owners and boost your business in 2016.
Kimball Court Offers Independent Living in Homewood
 Kimball
The Sertoma Centre opened Kimball Court Apartments on January 20, offering a welcome alternative to nursing home care for residents with disabilities in Homewood.

Kimball Court combines apartment-style housing with supportive services like case management, counseling and employment assistance that allow residents to live with independence, personal choice and privacy. The development is home to 16 people, many of whom are living independently after spending years in nursing homes or with family members. The Sertoma Centre provides supportive services onsite, helping residents to remain healthy, housed and as independent as possible.

Congratulations to the Sertoma Centre, the Cook County Department of Planning and Development and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for making Kimball Court possible.
Manage Your Property Listings for Free with ILHousingSearch.org
 ILHousingSearch
ILHousingSearch.org is a statewide housing listing service that allows property owners and managers, including Housing Authorities and private landlords, to manage their property listings free of charge.

Property providers can post listings for affordable, market rate and accessible apartments at any time, and listings are updated daily. The service averages 29,000 searches for housing weekly, making it a valuable tool for housing providers who can post unlimited listings at no charge. Listings can include photos, maps and information about neighborhood amenities. Managers can easily list numerous units with "cloning" tools and reduce calls on occupied properties by marking units as "unavailable" immediately when rented (units can easily be re-listed when available again). Landlords can also use the service to target local agencies and supportive housing programs, a simple way to increase their reach and fill vacancies quickly through the Statewide Referral Network.

To register, housing providers should go to ILHousingSearch.org or call (877) 428-8844.
Developers... We Want to Hear From You
 Events
Please remember to reach out to IHDA when planning your next groundbreaking or grand opening. Contact Max Mueller in IHDA's Marketing & Communications Department to help identify the best dates, times, speakers and media opportunities that make these events a success. 
 
IHDA In The News