Bill Text: IL HR0672 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Believes that investments in business, home ownership, and community development in Black and Latino communities are essential for creating shared prosperity in our communities. Recognizes the importance of property values that come from new development and investment as a source of wealth for native populations. Commits to combating gentrification and displacement, to protect native populations as their communities change, and to support efforts to close the racial wealth gap in the State of Illinois. Further commits to studying the effects of gentrification and displacement in the State as well as studying solutions that will protect native populations and allow them to participate in the rebuilding of their communities, including but not limited to: (1) Increasing investments in home repair for longtime Black and Latino residents, particularly for seniors in the community on fixed incomes, through the Illinois Housing Development Authority's Single Family Rehabilitation Program; and (2) Increasing opportunities for home ownership for Black and Latino residents through Illinois Housing Development Authority mortgages and down payment assistance as well as financial institutions regulated under the Illinois Community Reinvestment Act; and (3) Expanded use of the Long Time Occupancy Homestead Property Tax Exemption, the Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption, the Homestead Improvement Exemption, and the Senior Citizen Tax Deferment in predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods; and (4) Allowing communities to limit predatory rent increases for Black and Latino renters in gentrifying neighborhoods by repealing the Rent Control Preemption Act.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5)

Status: (Passed) 2022-03-15 - Resolution Adopted [HR0672 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HR0672-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Gentrification affects predominantly Black and
Latino communities across the State of Illinois; and
WHEREAS, Gentrification involves the physical
redevelopment of communities through investments in new
housing, infrastructure, and businesses that lead to higher
property values, rents, and property taxes, often replacing
longstanding households and community institutions; and
WHEREAS, Gentrification also often involves cultural
displacement, in which the norms and values of longtime,
predominantly Black and Latino and working class residents are
replaced by those of a newly-dominant, often whiter, and more
middle class group of residents; and
WHEREAS, Gentrification has been exacerbated by the
COVID-19 pandemic, with major losses of income and an
estimated 320,000 Illinoisans facing eviction filings in
January 2021; and
WHEREAS, Gentrification is driven by structural racism in
the U.S. housing system, including race-based zoning,
redlining, deed restrictions, contract selling, predatory
lending, and other practices, which has blocked Black home

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ownership and created stark and persistent inequalities in
wealth and financial well-being between Black and white
households in the State of Illinois; and
WHEREAS, Structural racism in the housing system
reinforces wealth inequality between white and non-white
households; the typical white family owns about $184,000 in
family wealth versus just $38,000 for Latino families and
$23,000 for Black families; and
WHEREAS, This divide translates to massive differences in
quality of life; owning a home or business in a neighborhood in
which property values are appreciating is one of the primary
ways of accumulating wealth in the United States, leaving
Black and Latino families more reliant on home equity, reverse
mortgages, and other sources to finance retirement than white
families; and
WHEREAS, The racial wealth gap restricts the progress of
this country and is estimated to cost as much as $1.5 trillion
in lost economic growth over the next decade; and
WHEREAS, The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus has called
for legislation addressing housing, banking, and capital
investment to eliminate barriers to economic opportunity in
Black communities in its Economic Access, Equity and

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Opportunity Pillar; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we believe that investments in business, home ownership, and
community development in Black and Latino communities are
essential for creating shared prosperity in our communities;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That we recognize the importance of property
values that come from new development and investment as a
source of wealth for native populations; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we commit to combating gentrification and
displacement, to protect native populations as their
communities change, and to support efforts to close the racial
wealth gap in the State of Illinois; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we commit to studying the effects of
gentrification and displacement in the State as well as
studying solutions that will protect native populations and
allow them to participate in the rebuilding of their
communities, including but not limited to:
(1) Increasing investments in home repair for longtime
Black and Latino residents, particularly for seniors in

HR0672 - 4 - LRB102 25502 LAW 34790 r
the community on fixed incomes, through the Illinois
Housing Development Authority's Single Family
Rehabilitation Program; and
(2) Increasing opportunities for home ownership for
Black and Latino residents through Illinois Housing
Development Authority mortgages and down payment
assistance as well as financial institutions regulated
under the Illinois Community Reinvestment Act; and
(3) Expanding use of the Long Time Occupancy Homestead
Property Tax Exemption, the Senior Citizen Assessment
Freeze Homestead Exemption, the Homestead Improvement
Exemption, and the Senior Citizen Tax Deferment in
predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods; and
(4) Allowing communities to limit predatory rent
increases for Black and Latino renters in gentrifying
neighborhoods by repealing the Rent Control Preemption
Act.