Who We Are

SHPA is a statewide (Illinois) membership association of non-profit providers of supportive housing (affordable housing plus services for individuals and families who have been homeless and/or have special needs).  SHPA knits its members together into a strong state and federal advocacy voice for supportive housing resources and policies.   We provide advocacy updates and connect supportive housing staff and residents to federal and statewide advocacy campaigns.  We help our members achieve and sustain quality supportive housing by connecting them with training and technical assistance.   For supportive housing residents, we provide training and opportunities to participate in advocacy and in the association.  We connect members with each other and with national leaders at membership meetings.

Mission Statement:
To strengthen the supportive housing sector so that people have access to affordable housing and can survive and thrive in their community with services individually tailored to their needs.

Vision Statement:
We equip our members, including people with lived experience, with research-based practices for the effective use of existing resources and advocacy programs to increase the resources required to build and sustain the full range of supportive housing options.

Diversity Statement:
The Supportive Housing Providers Association is committed to diversity, inclusion, and equity as both a value and best practice. We are committed to being an *antiracist organization: one that uses the practice of identifying, challenging, and changing the values, structures and behaviors that perpetuate systemic racism. We strive to have diversity in relation to age, disability status, economic circumstance, ethnicity, gender identity, race, religion, and sexual orientation. We also look to uplift the inclusion of people with lived experiences, individuals within the supportive housing community from all walks of life, on the board, committees, and advocacy events and work.

Leading by example we aspire to make diversity a core and abiding strength of the supportive housing world.

Core Values: C.A.R.E.

Collaboration: Rallying of mission minded individuals, groups and organizations focused on similar issues, to learn and leverage together to make a difference.
Advocacy: Amplifying our individual and collective voices to advance our shared goals on behalf of individuals/families in need of supportive housing.

Respect: Listening actively for understanding and treating others the way one would like to be treated

Equity: Identifying and acknowledging the systemic inequities of the past while continuing to work to make society and its systems fairer and more diverse. SHPA’s

History:
SHPA began in 1995 as a collation of three Chicago based organizations interested in supportive housing and expanded to become a state-wide association of supportive housing providers shortly after. Incorporated in 2000 SHPA currently has a membership base of 100+ organizations.

SHPA’s Services:

Educate policymakers regarding supportive housing;

Advocate for resources for supportive housing and for better ways to create supportive housing;

Provide advocacy, education, training, guidance, and resources for member organization staff and residents;

Sponsor supportive housing research;

Provide connections to technical assistance and training;

Provide Peer-to-peer provider exchanges;

Provide Training and Technical Assistance to providers and developers;

Provide opportunities for members to connect with one another across the state through monthly, quarterly meetings and Annual Meetings.

Provide Resident Leadership & Empowerment trainings and workshops