28th Ward Alderman

The Office of the State Appellate Defender is a state agency that represents indigent persons on appeal in criminal cases when appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court, Appellate Court and Circuit Court. It has a capital post-conviction unit that represents death row inmates in various proceedings. The office also includes a capital trial assistance unit that provides trial support in death penalty cases. Its unit also offers assistance from expert witnesses, investigators and mitigation specialists. The Office of the State Appellate Defender manages an expungement unit that provides information on the expungement and sealing processes to eligible ex-offenders, as well as maintains help lines. The office is governed by the State of Illinois.

The Illinois Housing Development Authority, located in Chicago, is an independent authority that provides affordable housing options to individuals and families. It serves all counties in the state and helps in financing housing projects through homeownership programs for low- and moderate-income households. The authority receives financial assistance through various federal and state funds, such as the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Additionally, it provides financial assistance to housing developers for building rental properties for multifamily housing developments. The Illinois Housing Development Authority also provides various home ownership programs, such as the Opportunity I-Loan, which provides 30-year fixed rate mortgage loans at subsidized interest rates to new homebuyers. The Illinois Housing Development Authority, in coordination with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, has developed a consolidated plan that serves as the state s annual funding application to the housing development authority for various grant programs, such as the Community Development Block Grant program.