Statement to media from Abundant Housing Illinois
Abundant Housing Illinois volunteers were in Springfield today to listen to Governor Pritzker's budget speech and to push for bold housing solutions to reduce the housing shortage - evident by continually rising prices -that persists across the state.
Steffany Bahamon, one of the Abundant Housing Illinois co-leads, was invited to join a roundtable with Governor Pritzker, other housing advocates and builders, and a General Assembly legislator. "It was great to hear that Governor Pritzker is so aligned with Abundant Housing Illinois's mission to confront the housing shortage across the state", she said.
We look forward to working with the roundtable members and other housing groups to move this legislation across the finish line.
Abundant Housing Illinois is an all-volunteer organization with nearly 500 members statewide that advocates for new housing to be built easier and faster by breaking down barriers to construction, including highly-restrictive local zoning laws that block more affordable types of housing including apartments, condos, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs). We also encourage cutting red tape on permits and updating restrictive building codes based on outdated science. Our presence at local development meetings demonstrates to elected leaders that there are constituents who want more neighbors, more small businesses, and more walkable and inclusive cities.
The new bills that Governor Pritzker's office announced today - collectively called BUILD - will have a big impact on permitting new starter homes and allowing multi-family housing all over the state, among other changes to speed up housing construction. We believe these bills will have the biggest effect on reducing housing costs when passed collectively.
FACT SHEET from Gov. Pritzker's Office:
Building Up Illinois Developments (BUILD)
Gov. Pritzker’s Affordability Agenda Proposes Suite of Housing Solutions to Cut Red Tape, Increase Supply, and Lower Costs
Working families are struggling to buy or rent a home because the United States, including Illinois, is facing a housing crisis. Illinois is short about 142,000 housing units and will need to build over 225,000 units in five years to keep up with growing demand. With few housing options to choose from, Illinoisans are spending more of their income on housing – oftentimes in inadequate spaces for their families.
Developer demand to build is high, but red tape gets in the way. A patchwork of different local building restrictions makes it harder for developers to get permits to build, driving up the costs of building new housing. In the past five years alone, the number of home listings has dropped 64 percent and new construction permits have dipped to 13 percent.
As part of Governor Pritzker’s Affordability Agenda, Illinois is proposing a comprehensive approach to expand housing for working families by accelerating homebuilding through a holistic, coordinated strategy that combines legislative reform, targeted capital investment, and innovative financial tools.
Unlock existing housing potential in communities across Illinois:
- Legalize a wider range of family friendly housing types (duplexes, triplexes, four-flats, etc.) statewide, expanding access to homes families can afford.
- Allow homeowners to boost their income and increase housing supply by allowing them to add Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs, like granny flats, backyard cottages, or above-garage apartments) to existing property.
- Let developers build more housing with fewer and more sensible parking space requirements.
Cut red tape to build housing faster and more economical:
- Streamline the permitting process to give developers clear, predictable timelines for housing permit reviews and inspections
- Allow developers to use a qualified third-party who follows all applicable local and state standards to sign off on permits when local delays occur – relieving pressure for local governments.
- Standardize impact fee practices, which increase predictability for developers while preserving local decision-making.
- Modernize outdated building codes to maintain resident safety, free up space for more housing, and drive down costs
$250 Million in capital investment and grants to spur development and support homeownership:
- $150 million administered by the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA):
- $100 million: Capital funding to support middle housing construction.
- $50 million: Down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers.
- $100 million administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO): Capital grant funding for municipalities to remove upfront infrastructure barriers that hinder viable housing projects, for example, funding for stormwater improvements, sewer, and site access improvements.