Integrating Housing and Workforce Systems for Lasting Stability
Opportunity
Illinois launched the Home Illinois Workforce Pilot Project as a first-of-its-kind effort to connect housing stability with workforce pathways.
The initiative brought together partners across housing, workforce, and human services to address systemic barriers to employment and housing stability, with the goal of informing scalable, statewide solutions.
Our Approach
We partnered with state agencies and cross-sector stakeholders to support alignment, strengthen coordination, and design structures that center individuals facing systemic barriers while informing long-term systems change.
Our work focused on:
Aligning partners around a shared vision and approach Strengthening cross-agency coordination
Designing structures that integrate learning, equity, and participant experience
What We Did
Strategic Alignment & Coordination
- Aligned cross-agency partners around a shared vision connecting housing, workforce, and human services
- Facilitated a cross-sector Community of Practice to support coordination, communication,and shared learning
System Design & Infrastructure
Designed and Supported integration of data collection approaches to capture participant experiences and system gaps
- Established processes to strengthen feedback loops and ensure participant-informed program development
Learning, Equity & Evaluation Design
- Designed pilot evaluation and learning structures that center individuals facing systemic barriers
- Facilitated ongoing learning loops to support reflection, adaptation, and continuous improvement
Policy & Systems Insight
- Identified gaps in service integration impacting individuals navigating housing instability and employment barriers
- Contributed to identifying approaches that could inform more equitable policy and program design
What Changed
Cross-agency partners aligned around a more integrated and participant-centered approach to housing and workforce systems
New structures were established to support coordination, shared learning, and continuous feedback
The pilot incorporated stronger mechanisms to capture participant experience and inform program adaptation
Early insights informed emerging approaches to more equitable policy and system design
Key Deliverables
Design and facilitation of a cross-sector Community of Practice Development of participant-informed data collection and learning structures Cross-sector learning sessions and system insights
Strategic input informing a replicable, integrated approach to housing and workforce systems