HOUSING UPDATE
Submitted by Kathy Kregor
Legislative Advocacy Committee
STATE ISSUES
GENERAL ASSEMBLY UPDATE
The Rental Housing Support Program Act (SB 75) will be voted on by the Senate in April after the break. The bill creates a state-funded rental assistance program that provides rental subsidies directly to qualifying landlords who, in turn, would charge affordable rents to low-income tenants earning less than 30% of the area median income. A $10 state fee for the recordation of any real estate related document filed with the local county recorder of deeds office would provide a dedicated funding stream.
The Source of Income Amendment to the Illinois Human Rights Act (HB 45/SB 167) will be voted on in the House in April. The bill would protect individuals from discrimination based on their lawful source of income. The legislation would protect senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and families from discrimination by landlords who categorically refuse to rent to them because of their source of income, including Housing Choice Vouchers, SSI, SSD, and TANF. A significant number of legislators are undecided on the bill. *
BUDGET NEWS
Fiscal Year 2006 Proposal
Governor Blagojevich’s fiscal year 2006 budget proposal included a $1.7 million increase for supportive housing services, which is affordable housing, enriched with supportive services. It is for individuals and families who have been homeless and/or have special needs, such as mental illness, substance abuse issues, or other chronic illnesses. This is $2.3 million less than advocates were seeking.
The Homelessness Prevention Program provides grants to families and individuals experiencing a temporary crisis, who areat-risk of, or already experiencing, homelessness. The program was flat-funded in the fiscal year 2006 budget proposal, at slightly less than $3 million. No commitment has been made to dedicate discretionary federal TANF funds, as has been done in the past to raise total funding for the program to about $5 million. Advocates are working on a campaign to secure $10.7 million for the program.*
Lobby Day -The above legislation and funding issues will be the focus of the Housing Roundtable Rally and Lobby Day in Springfield. P eople will be assembling in the Rotunda of State Capitol on Thursday, April 7 at 11 a.m. to bring attention to housing issues throughout the state. After a brief rally, they will lobby state legislators until 2p.m. Please plan to attend. *
Budget Summits
Since February, more than 15 bi-partisan summits on the state budget have held. The budget summits are an opportunity to testify before state legislators about how Illinois’ ongoing fiscal crisis has impacted low-income people, as well as talk about the need for additional funding for programs like homelessness prevention and supportive housing. Between now and April 5, additional summits will be held in Peoria, Galena, Macomb, Grayslake, Elgin, Effingham, Richton Park, Maywood, New Lenox, Joliet, and Springfield. A full schedule of summits, and info on how to participate, is available at www.statewidehousing.org .
Proposed transfer from Affordable Housing Trust Fund
The Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund is one of more than 350 dedicated funds that Governor Blagojevich is proposing to transfer money from to create a $420 million School Endowment Fund. The Governor’s proposal needs to be approved the state legislature. During the past two years, more than $8.8 million has been “swept” from the Housing Trust Fund.
FEDERAL BUDGET ISSUES
The House and the Senate passed budget resolutions the week of March 14.The House resolution cuts domestic programs by $216 billion over the next five years, and sets discretionary spending at the President’s request of $843 billion. The Senate version increased the discretionary spending limit to $848 billion. Both the House and Senate versions increased the funding amount for Community Development Block Grant Program from the amount proposed in the President’s budget. However, the increase was offset by cuts in other low-income programs. The differences between the two versions which will have to be reconciled before a final budget resolution is passed.*
