Housing
Read more about the article Thousands waiting for affordable housing in Champaign CountyDarrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess.org
Cindi Herrera, interim director of the Housing Authority of Champaign County, on January 29.

Thousands waiting for affordable housing in Champaign County

Currently, there are 1,182 people on the waiting list for project-based vouchers for the 734 units owned by the Housing Authority of Champaign County.

Continue ReadingThousands waiting for affordable housing in Champaign County
Read more about the article Champaign County housing authority executive director hired in VirginiaDarrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess.org
Ed Bland, the executive director of the Housing Authority of Champaign County, was hired in the same position in Portsmouth, Virginia, last week.

Champaign County housing authority executive director hired in Virginia

Ed Bland, the executive director of the Housing Authority of Champaign County, was hired in the same position in Portsmouth, Virginia, last week.

Continue ReadingChampaign County housing authority executive director hired in Virginia
Read more about the article Current housing voucher program leaves applicants waitingFile photo
A U-Haul truck sits outside a building at Joann Dorsey Homes apartment complex on Sept. 1, 2011. Dozens of residents moved from the property as part of a redevelopment plan from the Housing Authority of Champaign County. The property has since been demolished. Housing authority officials have confirmed that they are holding dozens of housing vouchers in reserve for redevelopment projects that include Dorsey Homes. Housing advocates say that the vouchers should be distributed now to assist the more than 400 families on a waiting list for housing assistance.

Current housing voucher program leaves applicants waiting

At the Housing Authority of Champaign County, the first thing an applicant for housing must learn is to wait, especially when it comes to…

Continue ReadingCurrent housing voucher program leaves applicants waiting
Read more about the article Despite influx of funds, vacant housing increases in countyDarrell Hoemann/For CU-CitizenAccess.org
These houses at 206 and 208 S. Prospect Ave. were among dozens listed on the City of Champaign's vacant housing list as of Aug. 30. Photos taken on Sept. 20, 2016.

Despite influx of funds, vacant housing increases in county

CHAMPAIGN-URBANA: Since the housing market crashed in 2007, the cities of Champaign and Urbana have received more than $2 million in state and federal…

Continue ReadingDespite influx of funds, vacant housing increases in county
Read more about the article Champaign targets certain neighborhoods for demolitionDarrell Hoemann/CU Citizen-Access
The homes at 1526, 1528 and 1530 Hedge Road, seen here on September 20, are on Champaign's list of vacant structures being monitored by city staff.

Champaign targets certain neighborhoods for demolition

These houses make up about 5 percent of vacant houses citywide, but represent the worst of the worst, officials said. Those are houses with repeated code violations, safety issues or are home to criminal activity. The monitored homes are largely located in more troubled neighborhoods because city staff closely monitors those areas.

Continue ReadingChampaign targets certain neighborhoods for demolition
Read more about the article Despite yearly purge, “no-trespass” list remains longDarrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess.org
The board listens to a report during a meeting of the Housing Authority of Champaign County board at their Champaign, IL offices on Thursday, December 18, 2014.

Despite yearly purge, “no-trespass” list remains long

Since the beginning of the year, the Housing Authority of Champaign County removed nearly 190 names from their “no-trespass” list — the largest mass purging of the list in the past five years. Still, about 540 names remain on the list, which is posted on the housing authority’s website.

Continue ReadingDespite yearly purge, “no-trespass” list remains long
Read more about the article Co-ops, retirement villages benefit from homeowners exemptionsDarrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess.org
Winfield Village on July 8, 2015. This retirement community received more than $2 million in the homestead exemption for tax year 2014.

Co-ops, retirement villages benefit from homeowners exemptions

  • Post author:agorton
  • Post category:Housing

Landlords of single properties are not the only ones getting tax breaks under the General Homestead Exemption. Companies that own cooperative apartments or retirement life-care communities also can get multiple exemptions under state law.

Continue ReadingCo-ops, retirement villages benefit from homeowners exemptions
Read more about the article Unpaid property taxes total $2.5 million, but investors give delinquents time to payDarrell Hoemann
Champaign County Treasurer Dan Welch by the county seal i the board room where delinquent properties are auctioned in Urbana, IL on Monday, May 4, 2015.

Unpaid property taxes total $2.5 million, but investors give delinquents time to pay

Last year Bell Sports in Rantoul had about $108,000 in unpaid property taxes. The former Gateway Studios property in Champaign had about $104,800. And Mennenga Construction Inc. in Urbana had about $84,200.

Continue ReadingUnpaid property taxes total $2.5 million, but investors give delinquents time to pay
Read more about the article Records show public housing often filled with violationsRobert Holly
Lavell Blissit stands outside Steer Place in Urbana on April 15, 2015. He has been a resident there for the past four years, he said.

Records show public housing often filled with violations

Cockroaches, mice feces, broken appliances and mold were among the most severe violations found during standard public housing inspections this past year in Champaign County.

Continue ReadingRecords show public housing often filled with violations
Read more about the article Despite training and inspections, keeping certified campus housing safe remains constant challengeDarrell Hoemann
Jeremy Leevey, fire prevention officer for the Urbana Fire Department, stands outside the University of Illinois Fire Station on Sept. 25, 2014.

Despite training and inspections, keeping certified campus housing safe remains constant challenge

For the past month, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been working to teach students what it takes to prevent fires as a part of a national campus fire safety initiative. Nowhere are those lessons more needed than in the fraternities and sororities that routinely have dozens of fire-safety violations.

Continue ReadingDespite training and inspections, keeping certified campus housing safe remains constant challenge