1) Campaign Email - shantelforstaterep@gmail.com
2) YOUR PLATFORM: Link to your website about housing - www.shantelforstaterep.com
3) YOUR COMMUNITY: Is your district suffering from a housing shortage?
Yes. Like many communities across Illinois, our district is facing a housing shortage, with limited options for affordable and diverse housing types. This shortage affects families, seniors, and working residents, making it harder for people to stay in the communities they call home.
4) YOUR RECORD: Are there pro-housing policies or specific housing developments you have supported in the past that you would like to highlight?
N/A
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?
Allow more housing types, streamline approvals, cut restrictive regulations, and invest in affordable housing to reduce costs for renters and homeowners.
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?
Yes. I support state legislation that ends exclusionary single-family-only zoning and expands housing options in every community. Restrictive zoning has contributed to the housing shortage, pushed families out of neighborhoods, and limited opportunities for working people. By allowing a mix of housing types, including duplexes, triplexes, small apartment buildings, and ADU's, we can increase supply, lower costs, and ensure that every municipality does its fair share to address the housing crisis. I believe in balanced, community-driven development that creates more affordable, accessible, and diverse housing for all residents. Additionally, lower cost developments, such as ADUs, create an entry point for small businesses into urban development pathways.
7) What kinds of housing would you like to see in communities that currently have exclusionary zoning?
I’d like to see a wider mix of housing in communities that currently have exclusionary zoning, including duplexes, triplexes, small apartment buildings, townhomes, and accessory dwelling units. These “missing middle” options increase affordability, create choices for seniors, young adults, and working families, and allow neighborhoods to grow without losing their character.
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?
Yes.
9) How would you increase funding for Affordable Housing?
I would strengthen Illinois’ Affordable Housing Trust Fund, pursue innovative revenue options like impact and linkage fees, and work with communities to ensure zoning and incentives support affordable housing development.
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?
I would improve AHPAA by increasing oversight and accountability, requiring municipalities to submit regular, standardized affordable housing plans, and creating a clear, accessible appeal process for developers when projects are denied. Enforcement should include consequences for noncompliant communities and technical support to help them meet requirements, making it easier to build affordable housing in affluent areas where it is most needed.
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 support models like Montgomery County’s MPDU program, Austrian Social Housing, and housing co-ops, which provide long-term, high-quality, affordable homes. These approaches offer valuable lessons for how communities can increase access to affordable housing while maintaining quality and stability.
12) What are common-sense tenant protections you support?
I support common-sense tenant protections, including just-cause evictions, notice requirements for rent increases, anti-harassment and anti-retaliation measures, and access to rental assistance. I also support policies that improve lease transparency and strengthen tenants’ access to legal resources, helping families stay in their homes with stability and dignity.
13) Are there any active tenant protection laws in Illinois that you believe are not being properly enforced? How would you change this?
Yes. Some tenant protections, like crime-free/nuisance ordinances, Safe Homes Act rights, retaliation protections, and tenant screening rules—aren’t always fully enforced. I would improve this by expanding legal aid, strengthening oversight, educating tenants, imposing penalties for violations, and increasing transparency.
