Illinois Legislative Wrap Up: 2023

The Illinois General Assembly wrapped up its spring session this past Friday evening/Saturday morning (depending on if you think of the glass half full or empty).  Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) worked on several legislative initiatives to best support people experiencing homelessness. With fiscal concerns fueled by an unexpected drop in projected revenue, the budgeteers were a bit more cautious in allocating funding to new and additional services.  

This year Chicago Coalition for the Homeless asked for additional funding for four-line items.

These items directly address housing security including homelessness prevention, homeless youth, permanent supportive housing, and emergency and transitional housing. Service providers struggle with the hard decisions around making cuts to services and turning people and families away when there isn’t enough space or funding to provide them with help. In addition, CCH asked for an increase in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grant program.  

In the Governor’s proposed budget, he laid the way for his plan to end homelessness in Illinois under the new initiative Home Illinois

The program has $85 million in new money to support homeless services.

After budget negotiation these funds will be allocated as follows: $40.7 million to support Emergency and Transition Housing, $10.8 million to Homelessness Prevention Programming, $6 million to Permanent Supportive Housing, and $3 million for Homeless Youth Programming. The plan also includes funds for asylum seekers, as well as federal funds for rapid rehousing, eviction support, triage shelters, and pilot programs. We are excited about the additional funding opportunities for providers and the people and communities they serve.  

CCH worked on passing legislation that will remove structural barriers.

For students experiencing housing insecurity, school is often the only place where things are stable for homeless students. Schools are required to provide services and assistance to students who are experiencing housing insecurity, but sometimes students aren’t aware that help is available and sometimes teachers are unsure of how to identify or provide aid to these students. Helping these students remain enrolled and engaged is critical for their futures. House Bill 3116 (Representative Katie Stuart and Senator Karina Villa) will require all school personnel to complete a training to help them identify and know the supports for these students.  

CCH worked in collaboration with Cabrini Green Legal Aid

on Senate Bill 1367 (Senator Christopher Belt and Representative Lilian Jimenez). In 2020 our organizations successfully worked on the Public Housing Access Bill (PHAB) creating standards for Illinois Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) to make sure returning citizens have access to public housing.  It created a standardization for the criminal background screening process, improved equity, and access to affordable housing for individuals with records. To provide additional clarity and provide greater access SB 1367 shortened the look-back periods, expands public housing to any program that receives federal funding and provides applicants with an opportunity to present mitigating circumstances before being denied due to their background.  This legislation also clarifies data collection.  

TANF cash assistance did receive an increase.

Our advocacy for an increase to the TANF cash assistance did result in an increase, but not to the level families need. We asked for a 20% increase, to move the cash assistance from 30% of the Federal Poverty Line (FPL) (where the support has been for the last six years) to 50%., The Governor’s office requested an increase to 40%, and the final budget implementation bill increased the assistance by only 5% to 35% FPL.  With the federal government looking to put more restrictions and barriers in the way of families receiving TANF in their compromise over the debt ceiling, making sure that we are providing families with an increased grant amount will be a continued goal at CCH.    

Chicago Coalition for the Homeless would like to thank our partners in this work.

alongside the advocates who worked with us this year including the sponsors listed above as well as Representative Michelle Mussman and Senator Adriane Johnson who carried the housing budget ask legislation, Representative Will Guzzardi, chair of the Housing Committee, Senator Robert Peters and Senator Sara Feigenholtz for their advocacy for the Homeless Youth line item and Leader Elgie Sims and Leader Jehan Gordan-Booth the chief budgeteers in both chambers.  

If you would like to learn more about what CCH was advocating for in Springfield this season check out our State Legislation page:

SB1367 Public Housing Access Bill

The Public Housing Access Bill (PHAB) created standards for Illinois Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) to use in the criminal background screening process, improving equity and access to affordable housing for individuals with criminal records. The bill shortened look-back periods and provides applicants with an opportunity to present mitigating circumstances before being denied due to their background.      

The current legislation will clarify data collection and the programs covered by PHAB.  

Sponsors: Sen. Belt, Sen. Peters, and Sen. Simmons

Updated June 9: Signed Into Law

Return to CCH’s 2023 Legislative

HB2481 / SB2241: Commit to Funding and Ending Homelessness in Illinois 

The recently completed state plan required by Governor Pritzker’s executive order, Home Illinois, creates a framework for achieving functional zero homelessness. The shortage of affordable housing compounded by losing employment, chronic physical and/or mental health problems, domestic violence, or a family turning away a child are just some of the circumstances that result in homelessness.  

State-funded programs to prevent and end homelessness receive deeply inadequate funding to achieve the goals of the plan. Providers have continuously stepped up to serve more people in crisis during the pandemic. Providers continue to struggle with: 

  • Increasing rents in the private market, making it harder to help people maintain or find a home.  
  • Agencies unable to pay competitive wages to retain and recruit qualified staff. 
  • Shelters losing donated spaces and volunteers due to COVID-19 concerns. 

This legislation will increase the housing and homeless service line items. These funds will help support the development of new housing opportunities, keep people on the brink of homelessness to maintain their housing, provide supportive services and make sure that staff in these programs are provided with a living wage.  

Supportive Housing Services  

  • Current Funding: $42.59 million 
  • Total Increased Funding Need: $17.9 million 

The Homeless Youth Program 

  • Current Funding: $7.28 million 
  • Total Increased Funding Need: $5 million 

The Homelessness Prevention Program  

  • Current Funding: $10 million 
  • Increased Funding Need: $5 million 

The Emergency and Transitional Housing Program 

  • Current Funding: $10.38 million 
  • Increased Funding Need: $51 million 

Sponsors: Rep. Mussman and Sen. Johnson

Update: March 14, 2023 – Committee Deadline Extended

Community Comments:

As organizers gather in Springfield and Witness Slips are submitted we will keep you up to date with community comments and opportunities to take action.

Return to CCH’s 2023 Legislative

HB2302 / SB1580: Creating Opportunities For Illinoisans in Need II (COIN II Act)

In 1996, Congress changed public benefits providing states with block grants to assist people living in extreme poverty. States are permitted to use the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant in the way they see fit, though the main purpose of the grant is to provide cash assistance to families. Of the billion dollars Illinois has in TANF funds, we use 4% on cash assistance.  The monthly grant for a family of 3, a parent and their two children, living in Illinois is $549. Parents share that the grant is not enough to meet their basic needs, including rent, utilities, clothing, personal hygiene products, diapers, transportation, etc. 

This legislation will increase monthly TANF grants to 50% of the FPL. Increasing the cash grant amount to at least 50% of FPL would lift a quarter of Illinois children living in extreme poverty out of extreme poverty, which would lead to improved economic, health, and educational outcomes. 

Sponsors: Rep. Evans and Sen. Johnson  

Update: March 10, 2023 – House: Committee/3rd Reading Deadline Extended-Rule May 19th, 2023

Community Comments:

As organizers gather in Springfield and Witness Slips are submitted we will keep you up to date with community comments and opportunities to take action.

Return to CCH’s 2023 Legislative

HB 3116: Learning to Support Students Experiencing Homelessness

For students experiencing housing insecurity, school is often the only place where things are stable and provide some form of normalcy. Maintaining their presence and consistent attendance is critical for their futures. Experiencing homelessness as an adult can be traumatic but can be more so for young children and teens. 

This legislation will provide training to teachers and staff to assist and support students experiencing homelessness.

Sponsors: Rep. Stuart and Sen. Villa

Updated June 9 : Signed Into Law

Return to CCH’s 2023 Legislative

Budget Address

Illinois state building sits on a dark blue background with white text above it that reads "CCH's Response to the Governor's Budget Address
By Doug Schenkelberg, Executive Director, February 15th 2023

Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) appreciates Governor Pritzker’s focus on addressing homelessness, housing, and poverty in his budget address and proposed Fiscal Year 2024 State of Illinois Budget. As the Governor stated in his address, “…we will have failed everyone in Illinois if we don’t place a higher priority on tackling poverty…” This proposed budget is a step in the right direction. 

The Home Illinois initiative puts needed focus on addressing the needs of those experiencing homelessness and poverty. As the Governor noted, “In Illinois, Black people are eight times more likely to experience homelessness than white people…” and underlined tackling homelessness is fundamental to advancing racial equity. Moreover, he included people living doubled-up in his description of homelessness, which aligns with CCH’s annual estimate of homelessness for Illinois.  

We are encouraged by the proposed investment in new funding to tackle homelessness. We look forward to working with the legislature and governor’s office to ensure the final budget includes increased funding for Emergency and Transitional Housing, Youth Homelessness, and Supportive Housing services. These funds can be used to make sure every person living in Illinois has a safe place to call their own along with supportive services to allow them to live independently. Homeless and housing providers have weathered the pandemic, changing their model to keep their clients, who are likely to be high-risk, safer. They have lost staff due to COVID as well as their inability to pay competitive wages. 

The Governor’s proposal to increase the TANF monthly grant amount to 40% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) is a step in the right direction toward ending familial poverty in Illinois. The need is growing for Illinoisan families with the cost of living and prices soaring on basic but necessary items, and with the end of the emergency SNAP allotment families are looking for relief, especially those living in deep poverty. We encourage the legislature to work with the Governor’s office to include an increase in TANF to 50% of FPL to provide additional funds to pay off debt, to save, and to make the necessary purchases for their families.   

The Governor and the General Assembly have shown through their actions over the past few years they want to invest in the needs of those that are too often pushed to the margins. We look forward to working with them this year to enact a 2024 budget that continues this work. 

Read more about the state work CCH is doing.