Illinois REALTORS® are urging state legislators to vote “NO” on HB 2775, a bill that would mandate all rental housing providers to participate in ANY local, state, federal or private subsidy or assistance program, and comply with the requirements and restrictions of those programs, if an applying tenant qualifies for those programs.

The bill, which is being considered in the Illinois Senate as soon as this week, is a significant expansion of what this legislation has traditionally called for. Mandatory participation in the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP – commonly known as “Section 8”), has been the intended scope in prior years, and the HCVP is also what the EXISTING local ordinances in Chicago and Cook County are aimed at.

HB 2775 would greatly expand the mandate in Chicago and Cook County, and establish the broad mandate to the rest of Illinois. This expanded mandate would, for example, make the current Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which was intentionally designed as a voluntary program, MANDATORY for landlords to participate in.

If passed, the bill would:

• Make discrimination based on a person’s “source of income” a violation of the Illinois Human Rights Act, and therefore a violation of the Illinois Real Estate License Act.
• “Income” could be ANY local, state, federal, or private housing assistance; unknown just how many programs this could apply to.
• For the HCVP:
  • Must use HUD–dictated lease
  • Subjects landlords to “at-will” inspections
  • Provide new rules regarding rent increases
  • Further erode rental housing market
• Unknown and potentially unreasonable requirements in other now-required local, state, federal, private programs.

Illinois REALTORS® support the Housing Choice Voucher Program and believe that the program is very advantageous for both landlords and tenants in many circumstances, but it was never designed to be mandatory and that is why HB 2775 should be opposed.

Make your voice heard today on this issue. Take part in the Call for Action today!