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Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs (also called Interfaith or IHCNS) is a membership-based, nonprofit organization serving as the premier advocate for fair and affordable housing in north suburban Chicago since 1972. The central office is located at 620 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois 60093, a few miles north of Chicago near Lake Michigan. It provides a wide array of services to individuals in the service area, including fair housing, investigating discrimination and predatory lending complaints, landlord/tenant issues, counseling to prevent foreclosures, and facilitating Homesharing. (map)

The Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs is recognized by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as an approved housing counseling agency. Interfaith is an established organization and it is also the only active, grassroots civil rights group in the northern suburbs of Chicago. A report by Valerie Denney Communications found that, "None if the groups we researched mixed work on both affordable and fair housing work as much as Interfaith does."

Mission

The Center’s mission is to foster a housing market open to people of all ages and income levels, regardless of race, religion, family composition, or any of the other legally protected classes.

In seeking to foster integrated and hospitable communities, the Interfaith Housing Center is committed to acting as an advocate for fair housing by conducting public education programs promoting community understanding and public support for fair housing. In addition, it acts as a resource to others seeking to ensure equal access to housing in their communities. The Center counsels people about available affordable housing options and acts as a mediator between providers and seekers of affordable housing on the North Shore. Finally, recognizing the importance of having a strong base of support among its member communities, the Center commits itself to strengthening its ties to the religious communities that supported its creation (revised and adopted September, 1998).

The 1972 original purpose for the creation of Interfaith Housing Center (then known as the North Shore Interfaith Housing Council) is listed below, and many of these objectives are still relevant today:

To provide an on-going vehicle for:

• Expression of the religious concern for more inclusive communities and the provision of housing for persons of moderate and low incomes
• Education of the religious community and the entire community on the housing problem and possible means for solving it
• Gathering data on the housing problem as it relates to the metropolitan area and the North Shore, including especially specific data about our communities and the need for low and moderate income housing
• Relating data about the housing problem to theological concerns and ethical values held in common by our religious communities
• Coordinating the housing efforts of various religious congregations and denominations on the North Shore
• Coordinating the efforts and concerns of the religious community with various secular organizations also concerned about the problem- The League of Women Voters, etc.
• Working specifically in cooperation with the Metropolitan Leadership Council as it seeks to implement the "fair share" plan in Chicago suburbs
• Preparing the way for and seeking to create a climate of acceptance for housing projects which might be privately developed or developed with public financing
• Undertaking specific projects- such as a leasing program for low and moderate income families- as this seems feasible and desirable

Service Programs

Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs provides a wide variety of services to the individuals in its service area. Services address fair housing & discrimination complaints, landlord/tenant issues, foreclosure prevention, and predatory lending complaints. It also provides a Homesharing program in order to help match those people renting out an extra room in their home, with those people seeking to find more affordable housing in the northern Chicago suburbs. Interfaith's also provides education, community organizing, and advocacy programs.

Early History

former names: North Shore Interfaith Housing Council

Current Projects

Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs, along with League of Women Voters of Illinois and Voices for Illinois Children, is supporting the United We Learn grassroots organization.

United We Learn

United We Learn is the most recent of Interfaith's projects.

“United We Learn, a grassroots group of three dozen parents and community leaders, coalesced in August 2008 with the immediate aim of creating an atmosphere of welcome for the State Sen. Reverend Meeks-sponsored boycott and rally at New Trier High School last September 2nd. UWL supports the aims of Chicago Public School and Suburban Public School communities to secure a higher quality public school education - and brighter future - for all our children.”.

United We Learn has held several meetings to debate the group’s next steps. Individuals interested in joining or learning more about the cause, can refer to the United We Learn Official Website or the United We Learn Google Group.

Members

affiliated organizations?