Illinois Code § 5

§ 5.

Legislative findings and purpose. The General Assembly finds that in many parts of this State, large numbers of citizens are faced with the inability to secure affordable rental housing. Due to either insufficient wages or a shortage of affordable rental housing stock, or both, many families have difficulty securing decent housing, are subjected to overcrowding, pay too large a portion of their total monthly income for housing and consequently suffer the lack of other basic needs, live in substandard or unhealthy housing, or experience chronic housing instability. Instability and inadequacy in housing limits the employability and productivity of many citizens, adversely affects family health and stress levels, and impedes children's ability to learn; such instability produces corresponding drains on public resources and contributes to an overall decline in real estate values. Unaffordable rental rates lead to frequent tenant turnover and difficulty filling vacancies, resulting in unstable income streams for rental property owners, the limited ability of owners to properly maintain their properties, substandard rental housing, and greater rates of foreclosure. High tenant turnover, poorly maintained properties, vacant and abandoned properties, and overcrowded housing negatively impact the safety and health of communities and the real estate values within such communities. Among others, the program created by this Act benefits (i) all individuals who record real estate related documents by helping to stabilize real estate values in the State, (ii) rental property owners by subsidizing the portion of rent that many of their tenants are unable to pay, (iii) those individuals who own real estate in the State by providing an option for affordable rental housing should they one day face foreclosure, and (iv) tenants who participate in the program by providing them with rental assistance and the ability to achieve financial stability so that they are able to become property owners themselves. It is the purpose of this Act to create a State program to help localities address the need for decent, affordable, permanent rental housing. (Source: P.A. 97-892, eff. 8-3-12; 98-5, eff. 3-22-13.)