Third Annual Housing Summit

Unfortunately, the story often goes like this:
A survivor manages to leave a trafficking situation to reclaim their life and move forward after a traumatizing experience. But then, they have no idea where to go, who to trust, or what will help mitigate the pervasive feeling that nothing is under their control, and hasn’t been for quite some time.

Like any victims of crime, survivors of human trafficking deserve access to safe and sustainable housing to help them move forward in reclaiming their lives after a trafficking situation. It’s just one piece of a complicated puzzle, but housing can positively move survivors from crisis to stability.

With only 24 beds specifically designated for survivors of human trafficking in the entire state of Illinois, housing opportunities across the categories of emergency, transitional and permanent housing are scarce, if not next to impossible to obtain. In this imperfect environment, utilizing and enhancing the existing housing system is pivotal. But viable alternatives and creative new pathways to housing must also be reviewed in order to effectively increase access to housing for survivors of both sex and labor trafficking.

The Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force invites you to it's 3rd Annual Housing Summit as we attempt to identify solutions to the housing gap that still exists for survivors of human trafficking. By convening relevant stakeholders, including anti-trafficking advocates, the business community, foundations, existing housing providers, and housing projects in development, we hope to identify quality short and long-term housing solutions for survivors of human trafficking.

The 3rd Annual Housing Summit

will take place

at

1 p.m. on Thursday, November 19, 2015 at 233 N. Michigan in Suite 1329.

We look forward to working with you on this very important issue!

Housing Summit Agenda:

Establishing the Need for Housing: Agency Presentations 1 pm to 2:20 pm

Breakout Sessions: 2:30 pm to 4 pm

BREAKOUT ONE: CREATIVE ALTERNATIVES

FOCUS: New creative alternatives for housing, innovative collaborations and leveraging private resources within the business community and foundation environment.
FOR: This workshop would be for those in business, the faith-based community, and foundations.

BREAKOUT TWO: INCREASING ACCESS

FOCUS: Increasing access to existing housing systems.
FOR: HUD, DV Providers, CCBYS, ACF, housing providers who offer housing to other vulnerable populations.

BREAKOUT THREE: BRIDGING THE GAP

FOCUS: Bridging the gap between housing and identified needs. How do existing programs address the barriers or challenges identified? What do they anticipate continuing to be a challenge?What are solutions to these challenges?
FOR: Existing trafficking-specific housing projects in development.

BREAKOUT FOUR: QUALITY HOUSING AND BEST PRACTICES

FOCUS: Quality housing development and best practices.
FOR: Anyone looking to develop housing and/or take from lessons already learned in other environments, such as the domestic violence or runaway and homeless youth environments.