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Mercy Housing Lakefront

Our mission is to create stable, vibrant, and healthy communities by developing, financing, and operating affordable, program-enriched housing for families, seniors, and people with special needs who lack the economic resources to access quality, safe housing opportunities. We achieve this through our resident-centric services, strategic approach to housing development, and the support of our partners and donors.

Mercy Housing Lakefront, the Great Lakes region’s largest nonprofit provider of service-enriched housing, is committed to creating affordable homes and inspiring dreams. We work with residents to establish engaged, strong, and inclusive communities. MHL owns and operates 41 properties in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana, serving more than 6,000 people annually.

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The Problem

293,354 Shortage of affordable homes for extremely low-income households in Illinois

$12,540 Average income of Mercy Housing Lakefront households

Our Impact

4,558 Apartment homes across the region

6,000+ People live in an affordable Mercy Housing Lakefront community

The Need for Affordable Housing

A significant number of communities in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin continue to struggle with a shortage of affordable housing. In Illinois alone, there is a shortage of more than 324,000 affordable rental homes for extremely low-income households – forcing many people to become homeless or just one paycheck away from homelessness.

Rent burden and housing instability have widespread negative impacts on people’s health, education, and economic security.

Explore our Community Report to see how we’ve responded to the needs of our region »

Help People Like Edna

On her own at 17 years old, Edna battled homelessness and addiction on the streets of Chicago. Filled with hope and a desire for a better life, she found her way to Mercy Housing Lakefront and moved into an apartment in the Schiff Residences.

Edna met Tarlisa Hunt, the Schiff Residences Property Manager, whose encouragement gave her the strength to go to school and eventually graduate from the prestigious culinary school Le Cordon Bleu. Watch Edna’s Story >

Donate to Mercy Housing Lakefront

We are proud to serve our residents and Lakefront communities through the development of affordable housing and resident services. Donate today to help us continue our mission!

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News Feed

Meet Evelyn

Evelyn survived more than 50 years living with a substance use disorder that began when she was a child. “I have been drinking since I was 12. That’s all I ever knew.” Hopeful for a better life, Evelyn decided to make a change. “I just got tired of being tired…I said to myself, ‘I know

Building confidence to stay scam-safe

Fraud and scams are on the rise in the United States. According to a 2025 Pew Research survey, an alarming 73% of U.S. adults have experienced an online scam or attack. While Americans of all backgrounds are targeted, the harm to individuals and families with low incomes can be devastating. Judy, an 80-year-old resident of

Three people post holding Mercy Housing's Cares Award

Supporting mental health through partnerships

Mercy Housing Lakefront partners with community organizations to provide residents with mental health programs that are tailored to the unique needs of each community. One of those mental health partnerships is with Association for Individual Development (AID), a 65-year-old nonprofit organization that serves individuals and families across the Fox Valley in Illinois. AID has been

Partner With Us

Long-term solutions to the affordable housing crisis begin with an organizational commitment to lasting, creative, and dynamic partnerships. We are constantly building new relationships to meet the needs of our communities and capitalize on opportunities in the Great Lakes region.

We hope you’ll join us in finding new solutions and empowering even more residents to achieve their dreams.

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