ABOUT US

Chicago's LGBTQ+ community is facing pressing needs at both ends of the lifespan: a crisis in youth homelessness, accelerated aging among people living with HIV, and an acute lack of culturally competent support for seniors. 

• LGBTQ+ youth are at more than double the risk of homelessness compared to non-LGBTQ+ peers. As many as 40% of homeless youth at any given time identify as LGBTQ+. Nearly a quarter of LGBTQ black youth aged 18-25 experience homelessness. A 2018 study of LGBTQ homeless youth by Chapin Hall identifies a “critical” need for new efforts that “integrate safe spaces, rapid and sustained exits from homelessness, positive adult connections, and culturally attuned mental and physical health supports… that recognize and reinforce their strengths and personal agency.”
• More than half of people living with HIV in the US are over 50 years old. They are at acute risk of "immune exhaustion," experiencing age-related conditions decades earlier than HIV-negative people. 
• For LGBTQ+ seniors regardless of HIV status, 78% entering long term care (LTC) facilities go back in the closet; 23% in LTC facilities have experienced verbal or physical harassment from staff and/or other residents. LGBTQ+ seniors are 3-4x less likely to have children and are twice as likely to age alone. Three quarters are concerned about social support systems to rely on as they age.
• As the US Baby Boom generation enters old age, there is an imminent dramatic shortage of all types of health care workers, especially those in long-term care settings. In 2030 this labor shortage may reach over 150,000 workers, more than doubling again by 2040.

One Roof Chicago is an initiative to build a welcoming and inclusive intergenerational community for older adults and young people most in need of affirming housing, meaningful connection, and career development. One Roof Chicago will combine:

• Mixed income housing for LGBTQ+ seniors, as well as older adults living with HIV -- including a continuum of care as residents’ needs for assistance increase
• Supportive housing at the same site for LGBTQ+ young adults
• Focused job training in culturally competent senior care and a career ladder in a rapidly growing sector of the economy

At the core of the project is the home, a place where LGBTQ+ older adults can age in safety, comfort and with the knowledge that they are accepted and celebrated. LGBTQ+ young people likewise will have the security of their own space with resources and mentorship available to make their goals a reality. One Roof Chicago will be an inclusive environment where LGBTQ+ residents can thrive, surrounded by valued community and supported by culturally competent service providers.

One Roof Chicago is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in the state of Illinois. 

We are in pre-development, with funding from the National Equity Fund, the Youth Homelessness Innovation Fund, the Chicago Foundation for Women, Howard Brown Health, the Reva and David Logan Foundation, the W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation, and private donors. We worked with the Prim Lawrence Group to develop a full project summary.

The team envisions that within 3-5 years the One Roof Chicago home will be breaking ground with a sustainable operating and funding plan for long-term success, in a process characterized at every stage by stakeholder inclusion, engagement, and investment.

PARTNERSHIPS

One Roof Chicago's development partner is Full Circle Communities, a non-profit affordable housing developer with a track record of building and managing properties for seniors and LGBTQ+ youth. FCC owns more than 800 units in three states, with another 250 approved or under construction. Together we are exploring project feasibility, including securing a site, a financing plan, and identifying the full development team. Our project architect is WJW Architects, P.C., specializing in affordable housing and long-term healthcare. 

We collaborated with youth powerhouse Ignite on a year-long youth-driven process to design our youth programming, thanks to the support of the Youth Homelessness Innovation Fund. The project was facilitated by Open Door Advisors. 

In 2021-22 we are undertaking an exciting new planning initiative for our senior programming in collaboration with H.O.M.E., and other community-based organizations with the continuing support of the Chicago Foundation for Women, the National Equity Fund, and the RRF Foundation for Aging.

We also have the support of SAGE’s National LGBT Elder Housing Initiative staff, who have provided extensive planning tools and introductions to financing entities.  

Fundraising consulting is being provided by Wilkerson + Company (WICO).

Pro bono legal services are being provided by the University of Chicago's Housing Initiative Transactional Clinic.