Intern

Position Title: The Bill Pluta Policy & Research Internship

Department: Strategic Planning & Reporting

Join our Team! At IHDA we strive to create and maintain a work environment that promotes diversity, recognition and inclusion. IHDA is committed to hiring and investing in individuals of diverse talents and backgrounds to ensure a range of perspectives and experiences inform and guide our work of financing affordable housing in the state of Illinois.

Who we are: The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) is one of the Nation’s preeminent Housing Finance Agencies and one of the State’s ten largest financial institutions. Our mission is to finance the creation and preservation of affordable housing across the state. IHDA oversees more than 20 federal and state programs on behalf of the state of Illinois and serves as one of the state’s primary resources for housing policy and program administration. For over 50 years, IHDA has led the state in financing and supporting affordable housing.

Summary: The Bill Pluta Policy and Research Internship is an annual internship established at IHDA with the intention of continuing and teaching the proud tradition of equitable statewide housing advocacy via informed policy and research championed in the life’s work of the position’s namesake.

This internship is intended to give undergraduate and graduate students an opportunity to learn alongside SPAR’s four subgroups (Planning Services, Policy & Research, Market & Analytics, Compliance & Reporting) by participating in a variety of activities that support community planning, policy analysis, program administration, comprehensive planning and compliance and reporting. Working both independently as well as in conjunction with SPAR’s subgroups, the student will undertake a variety of planning, analysis and policy-related activities in service of IHDA’s mission.

The Bill Pluta Policy and Research Internship is expected to focus on statewide issues in affordable housing and will be asked to maintain a connection to “downstate Illinois” and difficult-to-house populations in all activities. The intern may be asked to coordinate with State Agencies, local community residents and representatives, and regional/local organizations throughout Illinois. This internship may be conducted remotely to encourage statewide applicants; however, in-person meetings may be requested throughout the internship.

Essential Functions:

• Policy and Research
• Assembling and analyzing data in support of specialized research assignments
• Conducting custom research and analysis in support of evidence-informed housing policy
• Conducting legislative analysis, as needed
• Planning Services
• Conducting community demographic and market analyses
• Providing community meeting support
• Supporting development of community plans and related materials
• Market & Analytics
• Reviewing project fundamentals, including sites and market studies
• Engaging in project-level market analysis
• Supporting custom analytic projects
• Compliance & Reporting
• Supporting production of required reporting to various state agencies
• Engaging in various database activities
• Participating in Consolidated Planning process with HUD
• Participating in meetings with public housing authorities to provide technical assistance and review Public Housing Agency (PHA) Plans
• Assemble and analyze data, as needed, in support of various research assignments.
• Identify new program requirements as well as needs to administer new program requirements – coordinate with SPAR staff to prepare to address requirements.
• Participate in the development and distribution of a regular “SPAR Newsletter” distributing policy and legislative analysis as well as research findings.
• Promote effective use of Agency resources via research of housing needs and regulations.
• Additional duties as assigned.
  
  
  

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Open to graduate or upper-class undergraduate students with an interest in Illinois Affordable Housing.
• Candidate must be enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate program at a college or university in Illinois . Preference is for interns to be enrolled in a public college or university and/or those located outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area. Candidates studying public policy, political science, economics, urban planning, public administration, business or a related discipline preferred.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills are a necessity.
• Proficiency in Microsoft office products is a must.
  
  
  

IHDA’s Summer Internship Program Highlights:

• Paid Internship: Salary: $19.00 - $20.00 per hour
• Open to college students (must be an actively enrolled undergraduate or graduate student at the time of applying)
• Candidates will work fully remote through June 2026, then come in-office 3 times per week from June 2026 – August 2026
• You will receive on-the-job training from industry experts
  
  
  

EOE