With five days left in Illinois’ legislative session, one of the biggest questions remains how lawmakers will tackle the housing shortage. Gov. JB Pritzker said he believes at least some of his BUILD plan for affordable housing will make it over the finish line.
“Housing is a hugely important issue. I think we’ve raised that issue. Lots of bills that are running through the Senate and the House right now, and we’re hopeful to see some of those pass and end up on my desk,” Pritzker said Tuesday.
However, suburban mayors continue to raise alarm bells about how the plan would change neighborhoods.
Their biggest concern is that small apartment buildings between 4 and 8 units could be built on lots designed for single-family homes. Some mayors even have taken the step to adopt resolutions explaining their opposition.
“Your neighbor next door can leave town, sell that property, and have a multi-family, four-unit, six-units complex built right next to your single-family home. We just don’t think that’s right,” said Wheaton Mayor Phil Suess.
More than 500 new units of housing are on their way to Wheaton. Suess believes the construction is a sign his city’s affordable housing plans are working. So, he doesn’t believe Springfield needs to get involved.
“Things are working well. We’re achieving a lot of the points that are referenced in the BUILD Act, and we’re doing it without mandated legislation,” Suess explained.
Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, the bill’s sponsor in the House, said conversations are underway about potential tweaks.
He and other supporters have reiterated that more starter homes are needed.
“The 1,264 cities and villages across the state of Illinois — they don’t have these individual housing problems. We have a statewide housing problem, which is why the state is taking a position now to do something about it,” Buckner said.
Senate Democrats have introduced a separate housing plan. It’s a total of eight bills, two of which are similar to bills in Pritzker’s BUILD plan. The first makes changes to zoning for single-family home lots, and the second would standardize the permit and inspection process.
“Underserved communities across Illinois have been bearing the weight of the housing crisis for years,” said state Sen. Mattie Hunter, D-Chicago. “This measure gives us the tools to build more housing in more places – and to do it in a way that is fair, transparent and enforceable.”
The additional proposals, which are not in the BUILD plan, would charge a fee when private equity firms buy up existing housing, prevent residency work requirement for public housing and ban landlords from passing brokers’ fees onto their tenants.
The Illinois Realtors Association, which has been a big supporter of Pritzker’s plan, called the Senate Democrats’ plan a “non-starter.”
“The package consists of a combination of unconstitutional takings and a double-down on the same policies that created our housing crisis,” said CEO Jeff Baker.
A third housing proposal circulating in Springfield, the REAL Housing Act, was championed by the Illinois Municipal League.
