LEGISLATION
SB 220: The Good Housing Good Schools Act
The Good Housing Good Schools Act creates a school funding bonus for school districts in communities that approve multi-family housing developments which advance the housing goals outlined in Illinois' Comprehensive Housing Plan. The annual amount of the school funding bonus available for eligible developments will be $1,120 for each two-bedroom unit, with $560 for each additional bedroom. Under the law, the State Board of Education will pay the bonus directly to the affected school district. More information is available from the Metropolitan Planning Council. STATUS: Signed into law.
SB 534: Amendments to the Safe Homes Act
These amendments will improve existing legislation that established important protections for survivors of domestic and sexual violence that live in rental housing. The new amendments will clarify the Act's lock change policy, enabling landlords to better protect victims of violence and providing coverage to oral leaseholders. More information is available from Housing Action Illinois. STATUS: Signed into law.
SB765: Olmstead Implementation Act
The Illinois Olmstead Implementation Coalition worked to pass legislation implementing the 2000 US Supreme Court Olmstead decision, which states that the unnecessary segregation of people with disabilities is unconstitutional. The ruling requires states to provide community-based services for people with disabilities who would otherwise be entitled to institutional services. Senate Bill 765, as amended, empowers people in institutions to redirect funds currently being spent for their institutionalization to be used instead in the setting of their choice (if deemed appropriate by a medical professional). More information and endorsement materials are available at http://home.comcast.net/~sltriano/. STATUS: Signed into law.
HB 1797: The Condominium Conversion Notice Liability Act
This law amends the Condominium Property Act to require that a tenant be awarded damages of $10,000 plus reasonable attorney's fees and costs if they vacated their rental unit in a building within 18 months of the real estate being converted to a condominium, and did not receive a notice of intent for the conversion as required by current law. For more information, contact Fran Tobin of the Rogers Park Community Action Network at fxtobin@earthlink.net. STATUS: Signed into law.
BUDGET ISSUES
The “It Takes a Home to Raise a Child” Campaign is working to prevent a $9 million sweep of funds from the Rental Housing Support Program that is currently proposed as part of the fiscal year 2008 budget proposal. The Blagojevich administration stated in a 2005 letter that they would not transfer significant amounts of money from the Rental Housing Support Program while the Fund was accumulating start up dollars, but this proposal would sweep 36% of the revenues expected to be generated for the Fund for next year. The program should be operational statewide in early 2008.
The Supportive Housing Providers Association is working to preserve $14.25 million, including $3.9 million in new funding, for Supportive Housing Services, which the Governor has included in the budget proposal. The new funding will provide services for 30 supportive housing projects across the state, serving over 900 people who are homeless and/or have mental illness. More information is available at www.supportivehousingproviders.org.
Housing Action Illinois is seeking a 5% Cost of Doing Business (CODB) increase, equaling $445,000, for the Emergency Food and Shelter Grant Program for fiscal year 2008. The fiscal year 2008 budget proposal flat-funds the program at $8.9 million, despite a request for a 30% increase to make up for budget cuts in prior years. Because of the state’s budget problems, funding for the program has decreased from $9.7 million in fiscal year 2003. More information is available at www.housingactionil.org.
The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless is seeking $5.4 million for its new Access to Recovery, Care & Housing (ARCH) initiative to fund housing, recovery services and job training for women on probation, supervision and parole. More information is available at www.chicagohomeless.org.
More Information on State Policy Initiatives:
