Bill Text: IL HB5508 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Engrossed
Bill Title: Amends the Bill of Rights for the Homeless Act. Provides that if a unit of local government determines that a person experiencing homelessness is living in a public space and requires that person to vacate the public space, the unit of local government shall: (i) provide a 48-hour notice to vacate to that person; (ii) offer to call a paramedic for medical treatment; (iii) offer to provide transportation to the nearest homeless shelter; and (iv) allow the person to collect all personal property and offer bags to transport the personal property.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Failed) 2019-01-08 - Session Sine Die [HB5508 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2017-HB5508-Engrossed.html
| |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | AN ACT concerning human rights.
| ||||||
| 2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
| ||||||
| 3 | represented in the General Assembly:
| ||||||
| 4 | Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Access | ||||||
| 5 | to Affordable, Permanent, and Supportive Housing and Services | ||||||
| 6 | Act.
| ||||||
| 7 | Section 5. Housing services and supports. | ||||||
| 8 | (a) If a unit of local government determines that a person | ||||||
| 9 | experiencing homelessness is living in a public space, the unit | ||||||
| 10 | of local government may do all of the following: | ||||||
| 11 | (1) Provide an assessment of the housing and service | ||||||
| 12 | needs of the person. This assessment
shall be administered | ||||||
| 13 | by a housing or homeless service provider receiving | ||||||
| 14 | federal, State,
or local funds. | ||||||
| 15 | (2) Provide access to: | ||||||
| 16 | (A) either: | ||||||
| 17 | (i) permanent housing or permanent supportive | ||||||
| 18 | housing; or | ||||||
| 19 | (ii) affordable housing as defined under the | ||||||
| 20 | Illinois Affordable Housing Act; and | ||||||
| 21 | (B) appropriate supportive services including, but | ||||||
| 22 | not limited to: | ||||||
| 23 | (i) job training; | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | (ii) substance abuse counseling; | ||||||
| 2 | (iii) mental health programs; | ||||||
| 3 | (iv) transportation; | ||||||
| 4 | (v) child care; and | ||||||
| 5 | (vi) other services deemed necessary by a case | ||||||
| 6 | manager.
| ||||||
| 7 | (b) Any person receiving assistance from a unit of local | ||||||
| 8 | government in accordance with this Act shall have the right to | ||||||
| 9 | request housing in a geographical area based on his or her ties | ||||||
| 10 | to
the community, access to services, access to ongoing | ||||||
| 11 | employment, and access to public transportation. | ||||||
| 12 | (c) A unit of local government shall not require a person | ||||||
| 13 | to vacate a public space unless adequate affordable housing, | ||||||
| 14 | permanent housing, and supportive housing units are available | ||||||
| 15 | within the unit of local government's geographic area and a
| ||||||
| 16 | permanent housing option is offered to that person. | ||||||
| 17 | (d) A person has the right to decline any housing | ||||||
| 18 | assessment and services offered by a unit of local government | ||||||
| 19 | in accordance with this Act. | ||||||
| 20 | (e) The Department of Human Services shall annually compile | ||||||
| 21 | and distribute to each unit of local government a list of the
| ||||||
| 22 | homeless services and housing services available throughout | ||||||
| 23 | Illinois. | ||||||
| 24 | (f) No unit of local government shall dispose of a person's | ||||||
| 25 | personal belongings in any manner.
| ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | Section 10. Damages and attorney's fees. In any civil | ||||||
| 2 | action alleging a violation of this Act, the plaintiff may
| ||||||
| 3 | request a trial by jury and the court may award appropriate | ||||||
| 4 | injunctive and
declaratory relief, actual damages, and | ||||||
| 5 | reasonable attorney's fees and costs to a
prevailing plaintiff.
| ||||||
