|
Housing Update
Kathy Kregor
Legislative Advocacy Committee
Illinois has started its legislative session and the Housing Lobby Day and Affordable Housing Week have been scheduled. Information on these events as well as a summary from HousingMatters.net on two pieces of legislation and 2 appropriation measures that will be considered this session follows.
Housing Rally and Lobby Day -Thursday February 23
State Capitol, Springfield
11:30A.M. to 3:00P.M.
Meet in the Capitol Rotunda
HB 4715: The Safe Homes Act (Rep. Robin Kelly): The Safe Homes Act would provide victims of domestic or sexual violence and their families with options to access or maintain safe housing or to flee existing dangerous housing. The bill prohibits discrimination in rental housing against victims of domestic and sexual violence, provides a process for an emergency change of locks, allows victims to terminate their lease early in order to protect their safety, and allows landlords to enter into leases with victims who were not leaseholders (where the perpetrator was the leaseholder).
HB 4758: The Residential Tenant Protection Act (Rep. Will Davis): Currently, no statutory penalty exists for the illegal eviction of a tenant. The Residential Tenant Protection Act would protect tenants against unlawful evictions in which landlords remove property, change locks, shut off utilities, or engage in other illegal actions. This bill would clarify that the Forcible Entry and Detainer Act, which outlines the eviction process, is the only proper legal method for evicting tenants who do not uphold the requirements of their rental agreements. This bill protects tenants in non-home-rule areas who are not currently covered by a local ordinance.
APPROPRIATIONS
Homeless Prevention Program: Include $11 million in the FY 07 budget to provide financial assistance to families experiencing short-term crisis.
Supportive Housing Services: Include an additional $4.2 million in the FY 07 budget for supportive housing services, affordable housing sites that also provide support services for the residents.
Affordable Housing Week will be March 19-25.
|
