Bill Text: IL HR0986 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Urges the State of Illinois to launch a pilot project to establish a transitional shelter village that will support the crisis housing and health needs of people currently experiencing unsheltered homelessness.

Sponsorship: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-11-22 - Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Lindsey LaPointe [HR0986 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HR0986-Introduced.html

---

HR0986 LRB102 29393 MST 41385 r
HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Homelessness is a matter of life and death; the
scope of the homelessness crisis and the immediate need for
housing in Illinois is staggering; and
WHEREAS, In 2020, at least 10,431 Illinoisans experienced
homelessness; when the number of people experiencing
doubled-up homelessness, living with others because of
economic hardship or housing loss, is combined with those who
requested services from the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD) over the course of 2020, the count is
over 65,000 people experiencing homelessness in Chicago alone;
and
WHEREAS, According to Illinois State Board of Education
(ISBE) data, 47,455 school children were identified as
experiencing homelessness in the 2019-2020 school year; and
WHEREAS, Chronic homelessness has increased both in number
and percentage; the percentage of the homeless population
consisting of chronically homeless rose from 9% in 2016 to 22%
in 2020; and
WHEREAS, People experiencing homelessness include those
with substance use disorders, HIV/AIDS, serious mental

HR0986 - 2 - LRB102 29393 MST 41385 r
illness, veterans, and survivors of domestic violence; and
WHEREAS, Black people are eight times more likely to
experience homelessness than white people; Black Illinoisans
comprise 14% of the population of the State, but they
constitute 61% of residents experiencing homelessness; and
WHEREAS, Regions of the State with high concentrations of
disabled populations are considered at greater risk for
homelessness; and
WHEREAS, People experiencing unsheltered homelessness may
become frequent utilizers of hospital emergency rooms;
encampments, tents, cars, abandoned buildings, and park
benches, are unsafe, unhealthy, and undignified, and
unsheltered homelessness is especially dangerous during cold
weather, heat waves, and extreme weather conditions; and
WHEREAS, Crisis housing, the foundational safety net for
persons in immediate need of shelter, includes overnight
emergency and domestic violence shelters, transitional
housing, recuperative care/medical respite, and recovery
homes; and
WHEREAS, During COVID-19, shelter capacity diminished
significantly, and many areas across Illinois lack any

HR0986 - 3 - LRB102 29393 MST 41385 r
fixed-site emergency shelters for people who are experiencing
homelessness; prior to the pandemic, a significant proportion
of emergency shelter bed capacity included rotating,
congregate shelter; non-congregate shelter (NCS) became
necessary to protect highly vulnerable people experiencing
homelessness during the pandemic; the rotating shelter model,
which has never been adequate for many reasons, no longer
exists, and significant investment would be required to
rebuild it; and
WHEREAS, Emergency housing provided through converted
hotels, dorms, and schools and the construction of new
non-congregate emergency housing is not expected to eliminate
the need for other types of crisis housing; and
WHEREAS, Crisis housing is a critical part of and the
gateway to the continuum of housing, including affordable and
permanent supportive housing; Illinois lacks sufficient crisis
housing to meet its needs, allowing many people experiencing
unsheltered homelessness to languish for months and even years
until other housing options become available; there is an
urgent need for effective, safe, and dignified non-congregate
crisis housing; and
WHEREAS, A model of rapid-response transitional shelter
villages with case management has emerged; this model of

HR0986 - 4 - LRB102 29393 MST 41385 r
transitional housing can serve as a bridge from unsheltered
homelessness to long-term housing; the faster people are moved
off the street, the sooner their path to stability can begin;
and
WHEREAS, Residents of these transitional shelter villages
are connected to housing with wraparound social services, such
as mental health care from a local service provider and
on-site amenities, such as showers and laundry; with a safe
place to sleep, a supportive environment, access to meals,
hygiene facilities, and a case manager, residents can focus on
finding permanent housing and employment opportunities; and
WHEREAS, Transitional shelter villages combine the safety
of private units with the benefits of a communal environment
to offer residents security and a pathway to stability;
residents can lock their belongings in their unit, access
on-site social services, and be a part of a community; and
WHEREAS, At least nine other states across the country
have successfully launched dozens of rapid-response
transitional shelter villages and have achieved successful
outcomes; transitional shelter villages have been launched in
cold weather climates, including Madison, Wisconsin and
Boston, Massachusetts; and

HR0986 - 5 - LRB102 29393 MST 41385 r
WHEREAS, This model is more cost-effective than any
institutional setting per person or unit and can be built at a
fraction of the cost of traditional homeless shelters, which
can take years to build; prefabricated shelters can be quickly
installed and are proven to help people transition into
permanent housing; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we urge the State of Illinois to launch a pilot project to
establish a transitional shelter village that will support the
crisis housing and health needs of people currently
experiencing unsheltered homelessness; and be it further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
delivered to the Speaker of the House, the House Minority
Leader, the Senate President, the Senate Minority Leader, the
Governor, and the Secretary of the Illinois Department of
Human Services.