Eliminating homelessness in Lake County through the provision of leadership in the areas of assessment, advocacy, and community education
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Project Funding Amounts for the FY2027 Funding
Background
IDHS Homeless Prevention Funding
Background: The Lake County Coalition for the Homeless (LCCH) is charged with allocating funds for the State of Illinois’ Department of Human Service (IDHS) for the Homeless Prevention Program. The amount of funding has been verified by the state to be $1,320,600. The Strategic Planning and System Performance (SPSP) Committee recommended renewal of previous funded programs since there was no increase in the allocated amount.
SPSP Committee also asked Funding Work Group to consider the following: Consideration of prior year spending levels with consideration for first year grants which may have additional difficulty.
DHS Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG)
Background: The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) works closely with the Continuum of Care (CoC) to obtain local recommendations for Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding. FY2027 ESG funding has been announced at $154,211, a decrease of $403 from the FY2026 allocation of $154,614.
The CoC issued a call for Letters of Intent (LOIs) for ESG funding. Applications were received from all current renewal providers, as well as one new shelter provider seeking funding. In reviewing applications, the Funding Work Group considered several factors, including the importance of maintaining HMIS operations, the critical role emergency shelter plays within the homeless response system, IDHS's requirement that no more than 60% of ESG funds be allocated to shelter activities, and the minimum grant award requirement of $25,000.
FY2026 HOME Illinois Funding
The Funding Work Group reviewed the SPSP recommendations and program utilization data from the prior year and approved the funding recommendations to continue supporting critical shelter diversion, rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing services. Funding amounts remain consistent with the previous year. You can few the FY2026 HOME Illinois Funding recommendations here.
IDHS Homeless Prevention Funding
The Funding Work Group reviewed the Letters of Intent (LOIs) and made funding recommendations based on factors such as prior year spending, project reach, and additional criteria. You can take a look at the FY2026 funding recommendations here.
2025 Homeless Data
The Lake County Coalition for the Homeless has compiled local data to better understand and address homelessness in our community. Drawing from multiple sources—including the Point-in-Time Count, System Performance Measures, and the Annual Assessment of Coordinated Entry—this data provides valuable insight into the challenges faced by individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
These findings guide our efforts to develop lasting solutions and ensure that homelessness in Lake County becomes rare, brief, and nonrecurring.
Learn more from the 2025 Homeless Data Summary (pdf).