1) Campaign Email - maurice@mauricewest.com
2) YOUR PLATFORM: Link to your website about housing - www.mauricewest.com
3) YOUR COMMUNITY: Is your district suffering from a housing shortage?
Yes — our district is facing a real housing shortage. We’re projected to need 3,000 to 9,000 new homes in the next decade to keep up with demand. Families are competing for limited units, rents are rising, and too many residents are struggling to find affordable, stable housing. Addressing this shortage is essential for our community’s growth and stability.
4) YOUR RECORD: Are there pro-housing policies or specific housing developments you have supported in the past that you would like to highlight?
Yes. I’ve consistently supported pro-housing policies and developments focused on affordability and neighborhood revitalization. I’ve backed investments that expand access to quality housing on the West Side, championed funding for first-time homebuyers and infill redevelopment, and advocated for responsible use of public dollars to rebuild aging housing stock. I’ve also supported partnerships that turn vacant or underused properties into homes for families, seniors, and residents with the greatest needs.
5) YOUR Plans: Housing costs are increasing for everyone, but renters in particular are bearing the brunt of this crisis, with many frequently spending 30, 40, and even 50% of their income on rent.
What can the State do to bring down prices for both subsidized and market rate housing, and what are some actions that you support in order to achieve that?
The State can bring down housing costs by removing barriers that make homes more expensive to build and harder for families to access. I support allowing more housing options—like duplexes, triplexes, and accessory dwelling units—so our supply can finally meet demand. We should also reduce outdated parking mandates and streamline approvals, because unnecessary red tape drives up construction costs and slows down projects that communities urgently need.
For subsidized housing, the State must expand funding for affordable developments, preserve existing units, and invest in programs that help renters stay housed. For market-rate housing, we need to make it easier and faster for responsible builders to create new units, especially in areas where demand is outpacing supply.
6) Would you work on state legislation to end local exclusionary zoning that only allows for single family homes , and require municipalities to allow apartments and other types of housing in all residential areas?
I support working on state legislation that ends exclusionary zoning and opens the door for more housing options in every community. Restricting entire neighborhoods to single-family homes drives up prices, limits supply, and shuts out working families, young people, and seniors.
7) What kinds of housing would you like to see in communities that currently have exclusionary zoning?
I want to see a full range of housing options in communities that currently allow only single-family homes. That includes: Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) like backyard cottages and converted garages Duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes that blend naturally into neighborhoods Missing middle apartments—small, low-rise buildings that fit the scale of existing blocks Mixed-income and subsidized affordable housing to ensure seniors, workers, and young families can live in the communities they serve Modern, energy-efficient infill homes that make better use of underused lots Expanding these options creates affordability, brings diversity to neighborhoods, and helps communities grow sustainably.
8) Do you support “by right” permitting, where cities must make clear, objective zoning and building standards, thus allowing developers following these rules to build new projects without delay?
I’m open to the idea of “by right” permitting, but I need to learn more before taking a firm position.
9) How would you increase funding for Affordable Housing?
I believe the State must take a more intentional approach to funding affordable housing, and there are several pathways I’d explore. First, we need to strengthen existing tools—like the Illinois Housing Trust Fund, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, and supportive housing programs—so they can meet current demand. I’d also look at directing more state capital dollars toward new construction and preservation, especially in communities with aging housing stock.
10) The Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act (AHPAA) requires every Illinois municipality whose housing stock is less than 10% affordable to develop plans to increase the amount of affordable housing in the community and allows certain groups to file appeals when affordable housing developer’s proposal to build new affordable housing is improperly denied by an AHPAA community. Since the law’s passage in 2003, enforcement of AHPAA has been uneven, with only 10 of 44 communities subject to the law submitting compliant plans in 2024 and no appeals filed despite affordable developments regularly collapsing in AHPAA communities.
How would you improve AHPAA’s planning and appeal processes to ensure affordable housing developers face fewer barriers when proposing and building developments in our state’s most affluent communities?
AHPAA isn’t functioning as intended, and I think we need to understand why. I’m open to improving the planning and appeal processes, but I want to meet with municipal leaders, developers, and housing advocates first to understand the barriers and determine the most practical fixes.
11) Are there any particular social or affordable housing models you support and would like to emulate in Illinois? (e.g. Austrian Social Housing, Montgomery County, etc.)
I’m interested in several models, but I want to learn more before committing to one approach.
12) What are common-sense tenant protections you support?
I support common-sense tenant protections that keep people housed while maintaining fair expectations for landlords.
13) Are there any active tenant protection laws in Illinois that you believe are not being properly enforced? How would you change this?
It’s possible that some existing tenant protection laws in Illinois aren’t being applied consistently, but I want to learn more from advocates before making any firm claims.
