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The Chicago Housing Authority held the event at the Hyatt Regency
Hotel on Wacker Drive in Chicago over the weekend. The annual gala
focuses on affordable housing for seniors and others throughout the
city and state.
Pritzker spoke at the event and promised to continue working to
prioritize senior care.
"Over the past year, I have partnered with CHA to provide more than
$137 million to help finance the creation and preservation of nearly
1,400 affordable housing apartments across Chicago," Pritzker said.
"Many of those are set aside for seniors."
Separately, state Rep. Charles Meier, R-Okawville, told The Center
Square that while affordable housing placement helps, many state-run
facilities for seniors and at-risk individuals are failing many
residents.
"We have a lot of good ones across the state of Illinois, but there
are very horrible ones of those throughout the state, and I can
raise all kinds of heck, but we still can't get anything done about
the bad ones," Meier said. "I have problems with that."
The state has faced several issues involving the care of its senior
citizens in certain settings, including a COVID-19 breakout that
resulted in 36 veterans dying at the LaSalle Veterans home in 2020.
Meier said that getting the proper care for long-term care
facilities should be a priority.
"A lot of these people, when they get the right care, begin to
thrive," Meier said. "For that to happen, we got to get them the
help they need."
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, over 50
facilities regulated by the state were cited for violations in the
first quarter of 2022.
Pritzker said his administration would continue to look to improve
care for senior citizens.
"I will continue to work to ensure that everyone in Illinois,
especially our seniors, have a safe, healthy, affordable home,"
Pritzker said.
Illinois has over 1,200 long-term care facilities serving more than
100,000 senior residents. The Illinois Department of Housing
Services also received more than $18 million, which will go toward
making more than 900 affordable and available units around the
state.
Andrew Hensel has years of experience as a reporter
and pre-game host for the Joliet Slammers, and as a producer for the
Windy City Bulls. A graduate of Iowa Wesleyan University and
Illinois Media School, Andrew lives in the south suburbs of Chicago.
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