Summer 2026 Edition

Clay, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper and Marion Counties

"The Illinois Housing Blueprint is an initiative of the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) to create a statewide plan informed by and created for the people and communities of Illinois."

"We invite you to take community survey for the 2027 Illinois Housing Blueprint! This survey is part of the public outreach for a statewide housing plan, led by IHDA. The purpose of this survey is to help the planning team further understand the housing and development needs of your community."

"Aging, mobility and resilience projects get $8.3M from AARP"

Fast-track projects ranging from safer streets and transit access to home-sharing and disaster preparedness were among those funded at a record level this year.

"10 Things for Local Leaders to Know About the “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act”

"The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (PDF) is the first comprehensive housing package to pass Congress in decades. The bill, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate (85-5) and House (358-32), aims to boost housing supply through improvements to existing programs, unlocking private capital and reducing federal regulatory barriers. Just as importantly for local governments, the package is an example of Congress choosing partnership with local governments over preemptions to address the nation’s deficit of millions of units of housing."

"The bill is now with the President, and enactment is expected soon. Although it will take months for federal agencies to stand up the new resources and regulatory changes in the bill, cities can start thinking about what the bill means for their own housing strategies now."

What's HSTP up to?

Happy belated inaugural Rural Transit Day to those who celebrate!

The nation’s first Rural Transit Day was celebrated on July 16, 2019. This special holiday focuses on what rural and tribal transit agencies are doing to recognize passengers and staff on Rural Transit Day.

To celebrate this day, your friendly neighborhood HSTP Coordinators went for a ride on South Central Transit’s (SCT) intra-city shuttle in Salem. Our driver, Jeff, was very helpful and easy to talk to! We also met a new SCT scheduler, Payton, who was familiarizing herself with the routes.

Public transit plays a vital role in maintaining quality of life for people to access work, groceries, medical, and more. Thank you to all the drivers, schedulers, dispatchers, and transit managers who provide an essential need to the community and thank you to the riders!