Senator Sue Rezin criticized several affordable housing proposals under consideration in Illinois, arguing they would expand state control and reduce local authority over development decisions.
Speaking about housing legislation being discussed at the Capitol, Rezin talked about efforts to increase affordable housing through incentives for developers, redevelopment of vacant properties and the conversion of unused commercial space. However, she opposed proposals backed by Gov. JB Pritzker and progressive lawmakers.
“Talking about affordable housing, which we all agree we need affordable housing. There are ways to provide affordable housing. One is to incent people, and builders to build, incent to develop, you know, empty space along above commercial. There’s many different ways that we agree with, and we have our package of bills. The package of bills that we’ve seen for affordable housing coming from the governor and from the progressives are, in my opinion…and I don’t throw this out lightly, but they’re communist. They’re communist bills.”
She pointed to one proposal that would require certain large real estate owners to contribute a portion of their property value to a state-managed affordable housing fund.
“One in particular basically says if you have if you’re a real estate owner and you have over eight units and you have an appraised value in real estate of thirty million dollars, which sounds like a lot of money, but if…if you’re building a housing community or if you’re buying an apartment duplex that adds up really quickly. Over five years, you have to pay at year five, fifty percent of the appraised value. So you would have to pay fifteen million dollars that goes into a separate account for government then to build affordable housing. Just imagine that you’re in the real estate business. That’s your business. It’s valued at thirty million dollars In five years, you have to put in fifteen million dollars every single year, not just one year, every single year, dollars fifteen million.”
Rezin said lawmakers are expected to continue working on affordable housing legislation this summer, with some proposals potentially returning during the fall veto session.
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