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Building for Success: A Legislative Perspective on Illinois’ Comprehensive Housing Plan Senator Iris Martinez Presentation MPC Breaking New Ground Roundtable March 14, 2005 Looking Back • Local Planning Technical Assistance Act • Illinois Affordable Housing Tax Credit Illinois Affordable Housing Shortage 2004 Local Planning Technical Assistance Act (Public Act 92-0768) • Target – Local government – Planning agencies • Strategy – Local Planning Fund – Provide technical assistance -- such as model ordinances, program examples, manuals -- to communities writing comprehensive plans. . – Give competitive edge on state resources to towns with comp plans linking housing, jobs, transportation • The Update: Unfunded and Not Utilized Illinois Affordable Housing Tax Credit (IAHTC) • Target – Private Investors – Developers – Employers • Strategy $.50 tax credit on income tax liability for every $1 in cash, land, or property donated for affordable housing The State provides $13 million in annual tax revenue, stimulate private sector investment worth a total of $26 million per year through 2006. $4 million of the $26 million has been allocated for EAH programs for households earning below 120% AMI. The Update: Time to Renew! Recent Legislation • SB 2329, The Federally Subsidized Housing Preservation Act • HB 2246, Housing Opportunity Tax Incentive Act • HB 625, Affordable Housing and Planning Appeals Act Federally Subsidized Housing Preservation Act • Affects the sales of federally-insured buildings; project-based Section 8 contracts • Protects residents from displacement and major rent increases by providing for – repayment of IHDA-financed mortgages – needed time extensions – advance notification to tenants – chance for Tenant Association to purchase their building Federally Subsidized Housing Preservation Act • It is important to expand this law: – 30,000 project-based Section 8 are at risk of loss in the next 5 years. – The first Low-Income Housing Tax Credit properties will reach the end of their 15-year use restrictions. – New affordable multifamily units cost approaching $175,000 • Proposed amendment: – – – – Cover the right properties Improve the state notice requirement Use the correct triggers Allow preservation partnerships • The Federally Subsidized Housing Preservation Act has helped several tenant associations to purchase their buildings, including Lakeview Towers (500 tenants) at 4550 N. Clarendon, Chicago, October 2001. The Housing Opportunity Tax Incentive Act (Illustration: Qualified Townships in Lake County) Housing Opportunity Tax Incentive Act (HOTIA) • Target – Families using Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) – Property Owners – Opportunity Areas • Strategy – Promotes a better integration of HCVs in areas where there are jobs, but where workforce has trouble finding affordable homes. – Defining opportunity areas • The Hook – Meaningful incentive to reach owners currently uninvolved in this program. – Reframes the HCV as a tool for promoting workforce housing. Affordable Housing and Planning Appeals Act (AHPAA) • Affects communities with more than 1000 people and less than10% of their housing stock deemed affordable (for owners earning under 80% AMI and renters earning under 60% AMI) • IHDA produced list of 49 non-exempt municipalities that must adopt an affordable housing plan by April 1, 2005 • Down the road, non-exempt communities who don’t produce such plans could have local denials of affordable housing overturned by State Appeals Board Looking Forward • HB0603 Extension of Illinois Affordable Housing Tax Credit • HB0490/SB0075 Rental Housing Support Program Act • SB167 Illinois Human Rights Act Source of Income Amendment • HB 3767 Location Matters • Codify Executive Order and Enact Comprehensive Housing Plan Extend IL Affordable Housing Tax Credit • From 2001-present – 92 developments funded – 6,248 affordable homes developed – $112,063,250 resources leveraged Rental Housing Support Program Act • By implementing a modest county recordation fee, this legislation would create $30,000 annually for: – appropriate nonprofit and public sector entities to provide new development and rental subsidies – ensuring rental affordability for over 4,000 families living at below 30% AMI, equivalent to $19,000 statewide. Rental Housing Support Program Act Affordable Housing in Illinois 700 600 Dollar 500 400 300 200 100 0 Weekly earning needed to afford fair market housing Minimum w age w eekly earning • Almost half of Illinois renters are unable to afford a 2-bedroom apartment at the state’s average fair market rate of $823. Illinois Human Rights Act Source of Income Amendment • To prevent discrimination in residential real estate transactions against people with legal sources of income • Owners/managers would still able to use same legitimate criteria in tenant-screening , but could not categorically refuse to rent to recipients of any form of legal income. • In Illinois, over 400,000 households rely heavily on some form of non-wage housing, including rent subsidies, SSI, SSD, TANF, child support, etc. Location Matters • Provides state economic development incentive via DCEO to employers supporting the housing affordability and/or public transit accessibility of their workforce • Applicants provide DCEO with information about the business location, including: – Affordable housing – Accessible and convenient public transit – Existing infrastructure • Those not in “location efficient” sites are encouraged to provide DCEO a plan to increase housing and/or transportation options, via such programs as: – Employer-assisted housing plan – Shuttle services, pre-tax transit cards, carpooling assistance Location Matters • Where housing is less expensive, jobs and other opportunities are scarce. • Currently, Illinois ranks 5th for the longest commute times in the nation. • Examples – Boeing and Abbott Labs are choosing areas with public transit options – Bloomington’s Wheels to Work program by YWCA – Dozens of employers statewide are assisted their employees buy homes near work via employerassisted housing A Little Perspective on Progress vs Demands . . . Households anticipated to be helped by Rental Housing Support Bill 4,000 Households potentially helped by AHPAA 7,000 Households at-risk due to Expiring Federal Subsidies 14,000 56,000 Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List Households earning <80% AMI with Housing Problems 952,000 1,893,143 Number of Households earning <80% AMI 4,187,500 Total number of households in Illinois 0 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000 3,000,000 3,500,000 4,000,000 4,500,000 Codify The Executive Order; Enact Comprehensive Housing Plan Illinois Comprehensive Housing Plan • Affordability and Choice – Formalize interdepartmental cooperation and resource allocation to meaningfully influence the housing market • Creation and Preservation – Leverage and align private sector investment in coordination with the state’s housing agenda • Leadership – Provide meaningful incentives from IDOT, DCEO and other key agencies to municipalities advancing the state’s housing goals State Voice Regarding Federal Housing Activity • Preserve CDBG, HOPE VI and HCV Programs • Enact National Housing Trust Fund • Provide Employer-Assisted Housing Incentives • Eliminate regulatory barriers to the production of workforce housing