IHDA funds projects in Springfield, Jacksonville

The Illinois Housing Development Authority has announced the conditional award of more than $50 million in state and federal funding to spur the development of permanent supportive housing throughout Illinois. Of the seven statewide projects slated to receive funding, one is in Springfield and one is in Jacksonville.

Bluestem Housing Partners and Envision Unlimited received funding to help construct the second phase of Hope Springs Apartments, a housing complex to serve residents with physical and/or mental disabilities. The Springfield City Council unanimously approved a zoning change April 15 to allow for the construction.

The new facility, slated to be built at 849 N. Ninth St. on the eastern edge of the Enos Park neighborhood, would be an expansion of ongoing services provided by Hope Springs Apartments, 1135 N. Ninth St., which has been operating successfully since 2013. Hope Springs II would be developed by North Arrow Partners, an architecture firm based in Villa Park, and administered by Chicago-based care organization Envision Unlimited, which also oversees services for the original Hope Springs.

“Investments in supportive housing like Hope Springs Addition in Springfield are transforming lives by creating stability and opportunity for those who need it most,” said State Senator Doris Turner (D-48). “This development is a powerful example of how local partnerships and state resources can come together to ensure every Illinoisan has a safe place to call home.”

Fifth Street Renaissance, a Springfield-based nonprofit, received funding for 24 units of permanent supportive housing in Jacksonville that will be known as Tendick Street Apartments.

Mike Niehaus, owner of Windsor Development Group, originally submitted a proposal to IHDA in 2023 to construct three, eight-unit apartment buildings at 1140 Tendick Street to provide one-bedroom apartments for homeless individuals. The initial IHDA application was not successful, but the second funding request was approved.

"We learned from the first application and fine-tuned the second one," Niehaus said. "Plus, when you apply for financing, you're categorized in one of five set-asides. Jacksonville isn't competing against downtown Chicago, for example, we're competing against other rural projects. This time, Jacksonville was the only application for that particular set-aside."

Niehaus said Fifth Street Renaissance already operates three similar housing developments in Springfield and will provide case management services to the residents. Niehaus has developed numerous permanent supportive housing projects in central Illinois and has one currently under construction in Springfield. Like the planned project in Jacksonville, Mason Street Apartments, at the site of the former Sportsman's Lounge, will also be a three building, 24-unit complex for formerly homeless people.

Niehaus also developed Park Avenue Residences, an almost identically-sized complex for permanent supportive housing that was built on Springfield's west side in 2023. Helping Hands provides case management for that site, which was also financed largely through IHDA.

"Park Street is operating and has been shown to be successful," Niehaus said of the model, noting that he believes it will work in Jacksonville as well. "It is a proven success."

“Housing is the foundation for health, financial stability, educational achievement, and overall quality of life,” said IHDA executive director Kristin Faust. “Under Governor Pritzker’s leadership, Illinois is committed to changing systems, establishing new partnerships, and using every resource available in an unprecedented interagency effort to address homelessness and housing instability in Illinois. This is especially evident in the Permanent Supportive Housing Program that is providing housing lifelines for those with unmet service needs who face some of the greatest barriers in finding and maintaining a safe and stable place to call home.”

Supportive housing developments approved under Round XI of the Permanent Supportive Housing Development Program are as follows:

Permanent Supportive Housing Round X Awardees
City	Development	Developer
Chicago	Augusta Home	Chicago House and Social Service Agency
Collinsville	Haven Hill Acres	JRG Holdings – Belleville, LLC
Jacksonville	Tendick Street Apartments	Fifth Street Renaissance
McHenry	Pearl Street Commons II	Full Circle Communities
Springfield	Hope Springs Addition	Bluestem Housing Partners and Envision Unlimited
Villa Park	Cityview on Yale	Bluestem Housing Partners and Envision Unlimited
Wheaton	Hero Homes	New Directions Housing Corporation and Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans