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SHAPE Illinois Coalition Supporters,
The 2023 spring legislative session adjourned in the early hours of Saturday, May 27, and while several versions of rent control were introduced at the start of this new General Assembly cycle, we are pleased to share that none have advanced before the legislature’s spring deadlines. In another positive development, over $350 million (an increase of $85 million from the proposed budget) was allocated to support homelessness prevention, affordable housing, outreach, and other programs in the final budget. Lastly, one of the measures we supported as an alternative to rent control (SB 1476) has advanced and is now only awaiting the governor’s signature:
- SB 1476 (Sen. Gillespie) – AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLANS Affordable housing options vary from place to place. To bring awareness and support where more is needed, this effort requires local governments to develop and implement plans for increasing the local stock of affordable housing.
The following rent control-related bills failed to advance this spring, but remain active until this General Assembly completes their work in early 2025:
- HB 3104 (Rep. Rashid) – RENT CONTROL – MANUFACTURED HOME Weakens the Rent Control Preemption Act by exempting manufactured homes; allows municipalities to set rent controls for manufactured home communities.
- HB 2727 (Rep. Moeller) – MOBILE HOME – RENT NOTICE Sets a 3% rent cap on mobile home parks. Only allows rent increases above 3% for necessary maintenance and repair, and requires the park owner to provide a written explanation to the renter justifying the rate increase by demonstrating the rent increase imposed was no more than was necessary to cover the actual and reasonable cost of the work performed.
- HB 1118 (Rep. Guzzardi) Rent Control Preemption Act Proposal to lift the ban on rent control provides no other parameters for its design or implementation (this is a re-draft of his bill from the last General Assembly).
- HB 1047 (Rep. Flowers) Mobile Home-Tenant Protections Provides rent controls for residents of manufactured homes, primarily to block increases on senior citizens when mobile home parks change hands (the sponsor has previously introduced versions of rent control).
- HB 3874 (Rep. Huynh) – RENT CONTROL ACT Caps rent increases at 15% and limits rent increases to once per 12 months, regardless of turnover of tenant or landlord or renovation, etc.
- HB 3709 (Rep. Collins) – KEEP ILLINOIS HOME ACT Rent control by local referendum; landlord/rental unit statewide registry, counsel provided for all tenants, prohibitions on non-renewal of leases except in limited circumstances, landlords required to provide $3k of relocation assistance at end of leases or 3x/rent in condo conversions, among many other regulations.
While we’re pleased to report the success of SHAPE Illinois again this session, the overall effort is far from over. Pro-rent control lawmakers have indicated their support for the policy as a tool to address affordable housing and gentrification issues in Chicago neighborhoods. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s campaign platform included support for rent stabilization legislation in Springfield, and we anticipate a continued push from activists over the summer and fall. Lawmakers return to Springfield Oct. 24-26 and Nov. 7-9 for their annual fall veto session.
Our SHAPE coalition members and partners across a variety of organizations and industries have been instrumental in our collective effort to demonstrate the detrimental costs of rent control. We look forward to continuing our work with lawmakers to build on our efforts to look for legislative proposals that will help increase the supply of affordable housing. The updated “Alternative Solutions” we’re supporting shows our earnest collaboration in supporting alternative measures to increase the state’s supply of affordable housings.
Thank you again for your support as we continue to seek meaningful solutions to address the need for more affordable housing. Rent control is not the answer – let’s create neighborhoods for ALL of Illinois!
Thank you for being a member of the SHAPE Illinois coalition.
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